The Good Samaritan (Modern Kid Version) CAST OF CHARACTERS Narrator A Chris Dad Jake Narrator B Mom Bully Abby Dan PROP CHECKLIST Backpack of toys/snacks Hand-held game console A chair with blankets and pillow Backpack (for Jake) Backpack (for Dan) Cellphone/Toy phone ACT ONE: Chris s House Narrator A: Once there was a kid named Chris who decided to go to the park by himself even though his parents had told him never to go there without an adult. Mom: I know you re a big kid now, but you still need to be careful. Dad: Don t go anywhere without an adult. Mom: And don t forget to bring your cell phone when you re out of the house. Dad: And always let us know where you plan on going. We worry, you know. Narrator A: But he didn t listen. Chris: It ll be fine! I m old enough to remember to look both ways when I cross the street and I won t talk to strangers...especially those weird kids that just moved in down the street. They re really...different, and I heard that they re troublemakers. Narrator B: With that in mind, he set off for the park with full confidence...but without realizing he d forgotten his cell phone.
ACT TWO: A Field Chris: Yay! Best day ever! I ll just take the shortcut across the field over there. Narrator B: But then trouble showed up in the form of the local bully. Bully: Hey, kid, what s in the backpack? Chris: Um...nothing... Bully: Oh, really? Let me see. (Takes backpack) Look what we have here! Some fancy new toys and some snacks. Chris: I m just going to the park. I don t want any trouble. Bully: No trouble at all. Thanks for the stuff! (Pushes Chris down) Chris: Ow, my ankle! Bully: Oh, and now you re in my way. (Kicks Chris before leaving)see ya, loser! Narrator A: Try as he might, Chris could not stand up on his own, and now he was all alone in the middle of an empty field. Chris: Help! Someone help! I think I sprained my ankle! (Tries to stand) Ouch! Narrator A: But no one came. The minutes ticked by and soon two hours had passed. Just when Chris was about to give up hope, the pastor s son Jake came running across the field. Chris: He s my friend from church! He ll help me! Jake! Hey, Jake! I hurt my ankle! Can you help me? Jake: (runs over and stops briefly) I m really sorry, Chris, but I m very late for the church field trip. I ll miss the carpool. I have like a minute to run all the way to the school. I ll tell someone when I get to there, but can t stop now! Chris: But Jake: Sorry! (Runs off) Good luck with the ankle! See you on Sunday! Narrator B: And so Chris was alone again. Chris: Wow, the sun is getting kind of hot...i guess it s been a few hours. Maybe my ankle s better now. (Tries to stand up but sits back down quickly) Ow! Ow! Nope. Nope. Nope.
Narrator A: Just then a girl from his Sunday School class rounded the corner. She was the kid with the most stars on the roll sheet and Bible verse chart. Surely she would help him! Chris: Abby! Abby! Please help me! Abby: (playing on her phone as she walks past) Nooooo! Chris: Wait...what? Abby: I was so close to beating that level and having the new high score! (pause) Oh, I still have one more life...gotta make it count! No distractions! Chris: Abby, wait! I need help! Abby: Stop distracting me! I need to concentrate. I ll call someone to help you when I pass this level. Narrator B: And so she went off, ignoring him. Now Chris was feeling pretty bad by this point. His ankle was swelling, his bruises were bad, and he was pretty thirsty and dizzy from the sun. Chris: Someone...someone please...please help me... Narrator A: Just then, he saw one of the weird kids down the block coming his way. They dressed differently, talked funny, and no one at school ever wanted to be their partner. Chris: Oh, no, he s definitely not going to help me. I can t even remember his name. I m not even going to bother to ask him for help... Narrator B: So, this time he didn t make a sound. He just lay there, trying not to pass out. Dan: Hey, are you okay? (moves closer) Are you hurt? Chris: Y-yes...my ankle. Dan: (leans down)it looks pretty bad. We better get you some help. (Helps him up and puts Chris s arm over his shoulder) Chris: Why are you helping me? Dan: Because you need help. It s the right thing to do. I m Dan, by the way. ACT THREE: Chris s House Narrator A: They got back to the main street where a kindly old neighbor saw them coming. She called their parents and got help.
Narrator B: Dan stayed to make sure that Chris was all patched up, and then he visited Chris every day to make sure he was on the mend. Narrator A: It was the beginning of a great and lasting friendship. Mom: (walking into the room with Dad) Chris, your friend Dan is here again! Dad: We ll let you two talk. Call us if you need anything. Nice seeing you as always, Dan. Chris: Dan! I was just going to call you. Dan: How s the ankle doing? Chris: Much better. I wanted to thank you again. Dan: You don t have to. I did what anyone would ve done. Chris: But no one else helped me. You did. And not only did you help me, you also reminded me of something I forgot. Dan: What is that? Chris: Well, in the Bible, it says we have to love our neighbors like we love ourselves. But I ve never really done that. I usually loved people who were like me or people that I knew. Otherwise I didn t care. I mean, Jake and Abby didn t help me, but I ve done the same to other people before. And I feel terrible about that. Dan: We all need reminders of that from time to time. I slip up too. Chris: What I mean is...i learned a lesson, and I m glad you re my friend now. I m really thankful for you, Dan. Dan: Me too. I d been thinking I d never find a friend in this town. It looks like God had a plan all along for both of us. Dad: (Pokes head inside) Kids, we couldn t help overhearing, and I got to say we re proud of both of you. Mom: Let s talk to God and thank him for this lesson...and for good friends! (Everyone gathers together) Heavenly Father, we thank you for keeping Chris safe, and for providing us with a good new friend. Please help us to love our neighbors, no matter who they are. Help us to be a shining light in this world for you. In Jesus s precious name, Amen. Everyone: Amen!
Narrator A: (to audience) So, brothers and sisters, who is your neighbor? Whole Cast: (everyone comes back on stage) Mark 12:28-31 --- One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, Of all the commandments, which is the most important? The most important one, answered Jesus, is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these. COSTUME SUGGESTIONS Mom: Hair in a bun; collared shirt with long skirt, cardigan, and necklace; pumps Dad: Collared shirt tucked into slacks with a tie; dark dress shoes (color-match Mom) Chris: Blue T-shirt with shorts or jeans; sneakers Jake: Red long-sleeved shirt with jeans or slacks; sneakers Abby: Pink dress; hair in a ponytail; dress shoes Dan: Green T-shirt with shorts or jeans; sneakers; baseball cap Bully: White T-shirt with shorts; sneakers; Hawaiian or plaid shirt used as a jacket Narrators: Completely black or brown outfits SET SUGGESTIONS Have an OUTDOORS background attached to the backstage wall. Blue plastic tablecloth on top with a green plastic tablecloth is an easy way to create this. Add white paper clouds (possibly with glued stuffing or cotton balls) and a yellow paper plate sun for a nice summer day. Fake plants and flowers can also add a nice touch to the outdoor scene and can be purchased at craft stores or made with construction paper as a class craft. Have an INDOORS background possibly made with two large boards that cover a portion of the outdoors background in order to create the illusion of being inside (building a frame of some kind and covering it with a long piece of cloth to make a wall also works). For an added touch, cut out a window or draw a picture of a window to attach to the wall. Put the chair in front of the wall and arrange the pillows and blankets as desired. This set can be brought on and off by the PARENTS/NARRATORS, so it should be light enough to move.