Being Real - Ministry Exchange (MX)

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Being Real With A Real God By Curtis Chang

BEGIN WITH TWO DUAL SCENES OF PRAYER

Scene One
A Christian student runs into a fellow classmate. The classmate is
beaming, like he swallowed the canary.

Classmate: Well, hello there? How are you doing on this fine day?

Christian: OK, what’s gotten into you?

Classmate: Oh, I just found out some very good news!

Christian: What’s that?

Classsmate: You’re looking at this year’s summer intern at the State
Department’s Honors Program.

Christian: Wow, you’re kidding me. Is this the internship that was posted
on the IR departmental bulletin board?

Classmate: The very one.

Christian: Wow, you’re kidding me. Uh, congratulations. (Pause) Say, how
did you manage to get that summer internship. It seemed really
competitive.

Classmate: Well, you gotta make the right moves and put in the time. I
spent every night for a week on that application. But what I think put me
over the top is that I got a Spring Break internship in Washington and I
managed to meet the guy who was in charge of the summer program. I think
he was impressed that I tried to meet him in person.

Christian: Wow, you’re kidding me. That was a smart move. I guess I
should’ve thought of that.

Classmate: Oh, sorry, did you apply for the summer internship also?

Christian: Actually, no I never did apply. I was really interested and I
was going to apply, but it said on the sheet that you had to have
coursework in international economics to be eligible and I couldn’t get in
last semester. I didn’t know you’ve taken international ec.

Classmate: Well, no, I haven’t but I mean you can’t let those sorts of
things stop you. I figured that was a silly rule. I figure I could just
read up on some textbooks before I got down there.

Christian: You lied on your application?

Classmate: No, not exactly. I mean, I’m going to take those courses
eventually. But what difference to them when I’m going to take them. You
can’t let stupid rules stop you like that, you’ll never get anywhere if you
do.

Christian: Oh, I see. Well.. uh, congratulations.

The student sits down and is quiet for a while. He fidgets and starts to
tap his chair which slowly builds to pounding. Finally he begins shouting
out loud and shaking his fist upward:

God, it’s totally not fair! You’re not fair! He lies on the
application and he gets the internship, I try to do what’s right and I get
squat. That’s just great. ‘Who’s going to know the difference anyways?’
I guess not you, God! And here I am stuck without any prospects for a
summer job. I could’ve gone down to Washington DC for spring break, but
no, what do I do? I go on the Florida Evangelism Project with TCF. I
trusted you to come thru for me God for the opportunities I’d miss out!
You said you would provide if I took the risk. Well, God, show me the
money! Because what you’re showing me so far is that people who ignore
your ways win out.

Parallel Scene One

Repeat last line of exchange between the two students. As the
Christian student walks away, he is visibly trying to keep a lid on his
anger, breathing deeply and trying to calm himself down. He pray: God, thank you for helping me not feel bad about this summer. I
suppose you have a reason why everything worked out the way it did. (He
begins shaking his head but composes himself). Help me to accept whatever
happens. God, I praise you for well, for being all powerful (says this
grudgingly). And please show [name of classmate] that what he did was
wrong (clenching his fist).

Scene Two

Friend 1 is finishing up a conversation on the phone while Friend 2
is listening in: “Wow, that’s really great news! I’m so happy to hear that!
You don’t know how long I’ve been praying for that, Dad! Ok, well, I’ll
talk to you soon. Bye!” Friend 2: What was that all about Friend 1: You won’t believe it! Friend 2: What? Friend 1: You won’t believe it! Friend 2: What???? Friend 1: You won’t believe it! Friend 2 playfully graps Friend 1: Tell me or you die! Friend 1: Ok, OK, you know how I’ve been praying for years that my
Dad would accept Jesus into his life? Heck, of course you know, I’m
always asking you to pray for him. Well, a co-worker who’s a Christian has
been getting to be friends with him and he recently shared his story of
faith with my Dad. Something just happened—it’s amazing—but my Dad
was really moved and he decided yesterday he wanted to know Jesus also. He
was just telling me what it was like when he finally prayed to Jesus to
invite him into his life. Friend 2: Wow, I don’t believe you! Friend 1: No, it really happened. Friend 2; I don’t believe you! Friend 1: Believe it, God answered our prayers! Friend 2: Wow, I don’t believe you. Friend 1 grabs Friend 2 playfully: Well, believe it or die! Friend 2: Wow, God is really powerful, huh. Friend 1: He is! (he looks up) You are! God, thank you! You’re
awesome! The two then begin to dance around in a rambunctious dance, making
lots of noise with different items and shouting out “unconventional”
praises to God like, “God kicks butt!” or “Go, God! Go, God!” etc..

Parallel Scene Two

Friend 1: ”... and he decided yesterday he wanted to know Jesus
also. He was just telling me what it was like when he finally prayed to
Jesus to invite him into his life.” Friend 2: Wow, I don’t believe you! Friend 1: No, it really happened. Friend 2; I don’t believe you! Friend 1: Believe it, God answered our prayers! Friend 2: Wow, I don’t believe you. Friend 1 grabs Friend 2 playfully: Well, believe it or die! Friend 2: Well, we should probably pray now and thank God, huh? Friend 1: Yeah, yeah, that’s a good idea. They begin to get noticeably more stiff. They disentangle themselves
from each other and smooth out their shirts. They sit down in chairs and
fold their hands. They clear their throats and look rather solemn. After a short while of silence. They say, “Amen. ”