This is a most amazing drama that communicates the truth of the gospel.
THE BOX OF STONES
An impactful drama that’ll turn kids’ hearts toward Jesus
Child Characters
•Main Character (female)
•Friends #1 (male), #2 (female), and #3 (male)
(The above four characters wear regular "kid" clothes.)
Adult Characters
•Therapist (female; wears a suit)
•Jesus (wears a white robe and a crown of thorns)
•Person dressed in dark clothing
•Narrator
Props
•Each character (except Jesus) carries a large cardboard box filled with stones. The Main Character has stones that are labeled "lying," "disobedient to parents," "cussing," "cheating on a math test," "shoplifting," "cheating," "making fun of people," "telling a big lie," "hatred," "complaining," and "lying."
•Set a card table and two chairs stage left for the therapist’s office.
•Position a large cross stage right.
•Give each child in the audience a small stone to hold before this drama.
•For the song segments, you’ll need a CD player and the "Surrender" CD by Joe Strock. (Available for $12 by calling [303] 979-7948.) You’ll also need the song "Arise My Love" from Newsong’s People Get Ready CD.
Optional: This drama can also be pretaped and performed as a pantomime.
Monologue Script
(Main Character enters from stage right, slowly moving toward center stage during the first paragraph. Main Character struggles underneath a heavy load—a large, heavy cardboard box filled with stones.)
I’m not exactly sure where it came from...this box of stones. It seems like I’ve been carrying it around all my life. It didn’t used to be this heavy. It’s sort of strange, but the older I get, the heavier it becomes. (Looks tired; droops shoulders.) And as each day goes by, more and more stones get in my box. (Sets box on the floor and sits beside it.)
I can barely remember finding the first stone. I think I was around 4 years old. I lied to my parents about breaking a vase. It was no big deal...but after I lied, that’s when I noticed this box with a single stone inside. I pulled out the stone (Reaches in the box and searches through different stones, not finding it.) Yeah, here it is. The first stone. I pulled it out of the box...It was filthy. (Wipes stone on jeans.) It had the word "lying" on it. I just tossed it back in the box. (Puts it back in the box.) No big deal...after all, it was just a little lie.
Yeah, right. It was no big deal...so why did I feel so bad? Why did I feel that no one could ever love me?
But now I have so many of these stones. (Reaches in and pulls out a stone.) This one: "disobedient to parents"...so what? All they ever do is gripe at me anyway. (Puts the stone in the box and pulls out another.) "Cussing"...It’s really tough to keep from letting a bad word slip out every now and then. (Pulls stones out faster and reads them.) Cheating on a math test, shoplifting, cheating again, making fun of people, telling a big lie, hatred, complaining, lying again. (Hangs head in desperation, then puts the stones back in the box.)
Before I knew it, I was carrying around this heavy box of stones. (Slowly struggles to lift the box again.) Each stone is a reminder of filth in my life...each pound...the heaviness of sin in my life.
I feel so bad. Why have I done all these things? Could anyone ever love me enough to forgive me? (Bows head.)
(Play "He Is All You Need.")
I’m afraid to talk to my parents about all my stones. I know they’d really be disappointed in me.
I tried talking to a friend about it. (Friend #1 enters from stage right.) He took a stone out of the box. (Friend #1 sets down his box and takes a stone from the Main Character’s box. Friend #1 smiles as he looks at it.) He said, "What are you worried about? It’s just a little sin!" And he put the stone back in the box. (Friend #1 exits with his box stage left.)
(Friend #2 enters from stage right.) Another friend was so shocked by what she read on the stones that she put them back in the box...looked at me with disgust...and walked away. (Friend #2 sets down her box, peeks into the Main Character’s box, looks shocked, picks up her own box, walks away, and exits stage left.)
(Friend #3 enters from stage right.) A close friend even helped me carry the box of stones around...but over time, it got too heavy and wore him down too. (Friend #3 tries to carry the Main Character’s box and his own box...eventually stumbles and lets go. Looks apologetic as he exits stage left with his box.) It’s okay; he had his own box of stones to carry. It was nice of him to help...but it was just too much weight to carry.
Somebody told me I should see a counselor. (Counselor enters from stage left and sets her box on the table. Main Character carries her box and joins the Counselor at the table.) That was okay...for a while. I would go into her office and empty the box of stones onto the table. (Empties box of stones onto the table.) We talked about the stones...and believe me, that wasn’t easy. (Both look at the stones as though analyzing them.) After analyzing my stones, she told me it wasn’t my fault. I was a victim. It was everyone else’s fault.
It felt good to talk about it, but after every session I’d pack the stones back in my box and drag them home. (Places box on floor and drags it to center stage. Counselor exits left with her box.) I wish someone could help me. I’m so tired of stumbling under this load. I want some help! I want some relief! I want someone to love me and forgive me. (Bows head with shoulders drooped and hand to forehead.)
(Song segment: Play "How Could You Say No?" as Jesus enters from stage left and slowly walks to the Main Character. He places his hand on her shoulder, takes the box of stones, and slowly walks to the cross. Jesus empties the stones one by one at the foot of the cross, takes his place on the cross, and dies. Main character and the person dressed in dark clothing take Jesus off the cross and slowly carry him as they exit stage right.)
Narrator: Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. God made Jesus—who knew no sin—to become sin that we might be made right with God. Jesus was wounded for all our sins. He was bruised for all the things we’ve done wrong. And by his punishment, we are healed.
You’ve been holding a stone that represents sin in your life. In a moment, you’ll have time to give it to Jesus and lay it at the foot of the cross. You’ll take nothing away. The weight of your sin can be taken away by Jesus only. Because of our Savior’s death on the cross and resurrection from the dead, you are free!
(As children lay their stones at the cross and return to their seats, play "The Cross.")
After the last person is seated, darken the room.
(Play "Arise My Love" by Newsong.)
(Main Character slowly enters and kneels at the cross. On the third chorus, turn on the stage lights as Jesus enters in a white robe. He walks over to the character by the cross, places his hand on her shoulder, and whispers in her ear. The Main Character is startled as she stands up and steps back from Jesus. Jesus opens his arms to her. They embrace and exit arm in arm.)
This drama was written by Rick Clark and originally presented in Group Publishing’s 1998 Summer Workcamp program.
