Wisdom Sold Separately
(A drama about seeking and finding wisdom)

Director's Notes:
The book of James says that if we ask God for wisdom, He will gladly give it. He will supply us with all the wisdom we need. The question is: Whether we know God or not, where do we go to find true wisdom? Universities, books, newspapers, the Bible, friends, the Internet, etc? God will speak to us in prayer and meditation through His Spirit (which whispers to our spirit), through other believers, through circumstances, and, obviously through the Bible.

This drama focuses on our vain attempts to find wisdom and while it's over the top (no surprise there!), it gets the point across. Also, the part about memorizing scripture could be misinterpreted so let me explain. Many people associate wisdom with knowledge. They are not necessarily related. Many wise men and women never know true wisdom because they don't ask God for it. As Christians, we need to be careful not to just read the Bible and memorize it but study it and ask God to give us the wisdom to interpret and apply it to our lives.

Again, the drama is a bit extreme but 1) it's fun, 2) it can be a follow-up drama to "Swoosh", and 3) I like to write 'em this way :)

Cast:
Jim: Searching for wisdom any where he can get it
Tracy: Jim's wife

Props:
Headphones
Laundry basket
Lots of clothes
5 bibles (hint: you can read the scripture from here instead of memorizing it)
A newspaper (hint: you can read the newspaper article instead of memorizing it)
A laptop (hint: you can r... okay, you get the idea :)

Setting:
Family Room

(LIGHTS UP CENTER STAGE where Jim has headphones on and is pouring through different Bibles, laptop open, etc. Tracy enters with the laundry basket...)

Tracy:   (carrying a basket of laundry) Jim, honey, could you please hand me those clothes? (The clothes are right by him – Tracy continues to pick up other clothes on the other side of the stage) I swear, I feel like Alice from the Brady Bunch more and more each day.

Tracy:   Jim? Jim, did you hear me? (he’s oblivious) Jim! (sees that he’s not listening to her, she puts down the basket and pulls the headphones off his right ear) JIM!

Jim:   Wha? Huh? Oh, yes, it’s good to see you, woman of God.

Tracy:   What?

Jim:   Did you come here seeking wisdom like that written in Proverbs 31:10-12? “Who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts her; So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil all the days of her life.”

Tracy:   Um, no. I came here seeking your dirty socks.

Jim:    Ah.Then socks you shall have for it is written “She seeks wool and flax, and willingly works with her hands. Proverbs 31:13”

Tracy:   You’re very strange, Jim.

Jim:   Yes. But wise don’t you think?

Tracy:   Wise? Ohhhh. Okay. Is that what this is all about? (motions at the stuff)

Jim:    Of course! Don’t you remember that dressing up like Andre Agassi fiasco with my sister a couple of weeks ago? She told me that I didn’t have to imitate him but needed to look to a higher power. And that’s just what I’m doing!

Tracy:  Hence the bibles.

Jim:   Of course. I need wisdom if I’m going to truly know who God is. And where better to find it that in the Bible!

Tracy:   Hence all the quotes.

Jim:   Exactly, in fact, I’ve memorized the entire book of Lamentations. Do you want me to recite it?

Tracy:  Uh, no. That’s okay. I think I’m lamenting enough already as it is. I think finding wisdom is more that memorizing verses. I mean, do you know what they mean? Jim? Jim?

Jim:    Hmmm (Doesn’t hear her because he’s gone back to studying. This time in the paper).

Tracy:   (shakes her head) What are you doing?

Jim:    Searching the newspaper for wisdom.

Tracy:    Oh, right. Good Ol’ Beetle Bailey is loaded with it. (sarcastic)

Jim:   Very funny. No, I’m looking for wisdom here. (Closes eyes and drops his finger on the page.)

Tracy:   Look Jim...

Jim:   Shhh. Hold on. Okay, here it is! Listen to this. Monday’s weather: Sunny and very hot. High near 100! (looks at Tracy) Did you hear that? It’s just like what God says in the book of Revelation, Chapter 16, vs. 9 “Then the fourth angel poured out his bowl on the sun, and power was given to him to scorch men with fire!” See that? That’s called wisdom!

Tracy:  That’s called August in Virginia!

Jim:   Oh, well, maybe. But look at this! (points to his laptop)  Remember that movie “The Omega Code?”

Tracy:  Yeah.

Jim:    Well, the Internet is a great source of wisdom. I found a program that goes through every Christian book, message, and song and alphabetizes them, cross-references them, removes every other consonant and every third vowel, and finds secret hidden meanings when read backwards.

Tracy:   Lovely.

Jim:    (hits a final key) And here is the answer I’ve been waiting for! MOW THE LAWN OF THE LORD!

Tracy:  Mow the lawn of the Lord?

Jim:    Yes, yes. Don’t you see? It’s a sign.

Tracy:  (Picks up her laundry basket) It’s a sign, all right. A sign you’re losing your mind. (picks up a few more clothes and leaves)

Jim:    Wait, honey! Come back. Don’t you see? The lawn of the Lord must be mowed. God helps those who mow themselves! WHAT A MAN MOWS, HE WILL ALSO REAP!!!

LIGHTS OUT FAST

END

© 2000 Dave Marsh