A children's story, loosely around the good Samaritan parable, about how how taking action is better than just words
[Three houses, side by side, older middle person, a well dressed academic on one side, and a scruffy person the other. Or get the kids to pick 4 actors form the audience for you]
One day there were three people out watering their front gardens. The man in the middle when he was finished put his hose down and went inside. But he forgot to turn off his hose.
The neighbour on the right called out:
Smart: Your water is still on…. YOU’RE WATER IS STILL ON!
But the old man couldn’t hear. So the neighbour just shook his head and kept watering.
The neighbour on the left saw this, and took action. He went around and turned off the water for the old man.
The old man then came out to collect his newspaper, but had great trouble bending over and couldn’t reach the paper on the ground.
The neighbour on the right called out:
Smart: You know, you can get your newspaper online these days. It would save you bending over!
But the neighbour on the left took action and went around and picked up the newspaper for the old man and handed it to him.
The old man took the newspaper inside and then cam out carrying several light boxes, but couldn’t balance them very well, and kept dropping one. picking it up and dropping another one.
The neighbour on the right called out:
Smart: Probably best if you make several trips
But the neighbour on the left took action and went around and helped the man carry the boxes to the front gate for him.
Suddenly, a huge guy turned up, and walked up the the old man and said:
Big Guy: You haven’t paid enough money to stay here this month. We’re missing $100. You have to move out.
The old man said
Old: Oh no, I have no more money I can pay
The neighbour on the right called out:
Smart: It’s ok, there’s cheaper rent up at Cooranbong. Just move up there.
But then the other neighbour took action and called out:
Action: Wait a minute… Here’s two hundred dollars. Let the man stay.
And that made the big man go away, never to come back.
Now which of these two would you say was a good neighbour to the man who was having troubles?
- The one who had very wise advice
- Or the one who took action and helped?
“Yes, now go and do the same for your neighbours.”
Performance: Castle Hill Seventh-day Adventist Church - March 11, 2023