This post has been a long one in the making. It will center around a chapel that I did this year for High School and Middle School Chapel on the topic of Baggage/Life as a Journey. For this particular chapel, I wanted to do something different than just talk at the children. So, I wrote a skit that I could perform with another teacher at Chapel to better show the message of casting our cares on Jesus and walking purely with Him. My fellow acting teacher told me that I should post my skit on the internet to share with everyone-so that is what I am doing. I say that it is my skit, but in reality, a lot of the words come straight from the Bible and most of the credit goes to God, because I finished writing this skit at 3:00 in the morning (not the best time for intense thinking).
This was a chapel I gave months ago, but I can tell you that some of the emotion has certainly come back as I am revising the skit and thinking about the words that God had given me. This topic hit me hard, because it is something that I struggle with. I often find myself giving into distractions and adding baggage to my life that is not necessary and that by doing so I am turning away from my pure focus on God. It is something that I need to work on more than just daily, that I take time out to communicate with God my needs and concerns and put my sins and weight on that cross.
So without further ado-baggage chapel.
I started chapel by talking about the concept that we are all walking on this journey. We start when we are young and continue walking through life until we are old or until we die. However, while we are walking on this journey, we tend to start picking up baggage. Some of this may seem harmless. However, after a while, the baggage can really start to drag us down and make the journey much harder.
I then showed everyone my backpack filled with things. It was very heavy. I explained that this was a backpack that I have been carrying as I have been walking down the journey of life. Then, I took the time, using my backpack and my PowerPoint, to go through the objects in my backpack and how they contribute to my baggage. Some things that I used in my backpack was a scale (students were impressed that a big scale was in my backpack), candy, a volleyball, the word "stress," money, my iPod (I don't own a smartphone), etc...things that distracted me from God and can potentially cause baggage to accumulate in my life.
Quick side note: During college, I pushed myself way too hard with stress. I didn't give myself the chance to rest and be still at all and as I result I developed arm tremors that would be triggered by stress. I don't get them nearly as frequently and as bad as I used too, but while I was talking about the items that were weighing me down, my arm totally started shaking. It was once again a reality check to how much weight and individual can put on themselves and how much freedom God gives!
After I had explained all of the objects and put them back into the backpack, I talked about how it feels to have to carry this heavy burden around as I keep walking and how it has overwhelmed me and effected my emotional, physical, mental, and social health. I then put the backpack on my back and looked very defeated. At this time "I" is going to turn into Person 1. This skit has only two people in it and Person 1's gender doesn't matter, but Person 2 should be male. Also, during this skit I showed slides of the Bible verses referenced by Person 2 as he spoke them.
Person
1: I am just so tired, I don’t know how
I can go on by myself. I need help!
Help! (call out)
Person
2: (appearing
from the side of the room carrying a backpack that is similar to Person 1) Hey,
person’s name. You called?
Person
1: Um yeah. You heard me?
Person
2: You asked for help. I was here.
Person
1: Well, I guess I am thankful you were
close enough to come help.
Person
2: I was beside you this whole time.
Person
1: Walking here, right beside me?
Person
2: (Nods)
Person
1: How come I didn’t notice?
Person
2: You’ve been a bit distracted (gesture
to Person 1’s heavy backpack)
Person
1: Yeah, I guess as I have been walking I have picked up a lot of baggage. It has made it a bit hard to keep on moving
forward with all this weight on my back.
Person
2: Why don’t we rest for a bit?
Person
1: It is useless! Because I will
eventually have to start moving again-towing this heavy bag along the whole
time-it won’t get any better.
Person
2: How did it get so heavy?
Person
1: Well, I saw things on the side of the
road that I thought would be helpful for my journey. I thought I would first grab things I needed,
but then I started grabbing things that I wanted, and then some things ended up
in here that I didn’t want, but when I try to take them out they just won’t
leave. It’s just a really big mess, and
you know, I think it is great that you came to help me, but I just don’t see
how. So I will probably just get going
now-(starts to leave)
Person
2: I’ll take it.
Person
1: You’ll take what?
Person
2: Your bag, your cares, all of it
Person
1: You will?
Person
2: I will. Here, (extends
his backpack) trade with me.
(Person 1 and Person 2 take off bags and
switch)
Person
1: Your bag is so light! What do you have in there?
Person
2: Look and see.
Person
1: (looking
in backpack and pulls out a loaf of bread that is marked “Bread of Life,” water
that is labeled “Living Water,” and a Bible) Bread and water and a book, that
is all you need?
Person
2: It is not just bread and water. It is the bread of life and living water.
Person
1: bread of life…living water….that
sounds like it means something.
Person
2: Whoever drinks of the water that I
will give him or her shall never thirst; the water that I will give him will
become in him a well of water springing up to eternal life.
Person
1: That sounds pretty great.
Person
2: and I am the bread of life; he or she
who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.”
Person
1: And this book? The Bible?
Person
2: This book contains my words. It will tell you how much I love you, My
might, My strength, My wisdom, and how you should act. This book was inspired by me and written by men who followed me,
waited for me, prophesied about me, and walked with me.
Person
1: Sounds like a lot of material.
Person
2: This book covers the Beginning of
this earth to the end of this earth.
Person
1: You know, I don’t like being
hungry. I keep some candy in my bag,
just in case I need to munch on something later, but this bread looks very
tasty and satisfying. And I do love
reading. Your bag is so light! I can see why you aren’t that tired. But you probably want your bag back so… (starts to hand back the backpack)
Person
2: We don’t have to switch back.
Person
1: We don’t?
Person
2: No, in fact we can keep on walking
together. I can teach you, and you can
find rest.
Person
1: That sounds really nice. I have been feeling like I have been alone for
a while now, and it would be great to have a travel partner. (Brief
Silence) Can I just get some things from my bag that you have and put them
in mine in case I need them later? I
have some money for snacks later, and I got my iPod-we can jam out to some
pretty sweet tunes. Or my volleyball,
we could pass back and forth-
Person
2: I have a question. How do you feel right now carrying my bag?
Person
1: Light and happy and rested
Person
2: And how did you feel carrying your
bag?
Person
1: Tired, stressed, hopeless
Person
2: So, why would you want to put things from
your old bag into your new, when this satisfies you on your own?
Person
1: So, wait, I may need to give up
everything in that bag. That does not
sound easy.
Person
2: If you want to come after me, you
must trust in me with all your heart and not on your own understanding. I will make your path straight and clear. I desire your full commitment, because I have
plans for you.
Person
1: Your plans? But, what about my plans? I was going to travel the world, win American
Idol. I got some big plans.
Person
2: (shaking
his head) In their hearts humans plan their course, but I establish their
steps.
Person
1: So I won’t know the way?
Person
2: I am the way-and the truth-
and the life. Walk with me. Come with me.
Let this go (gesture to heavy
backpack). I will guide you always;
I will satisfy your needs in a sun-scorched land and will strengthen you. You will be like a well-watered garden, like
a spring whose waters never fail.
Person
1: When you explain it like that, that
sounds like my life is going to be great.
I bet I will be rich, have success, have everything I want, and will be
completely satisfied in this world!
Person
2: You are looking for satisfaction in
your old bag of worldly things. The
people that follow me are not of this world.
Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on
earth. Do not be adapted to this world,
but be transformed by doing my will.
Person
1: That doesn’t sound good-I’m slightly
worried (pulls out a piece of paper that
has the word “Worry” written on it from the bag she is wearing.) How did
this appear? I didn’t put it there.
Person
2: Cast your cares on me (takes the worry sign and puts it in his
backpack.) And I won’t let you fall.
Person
1: Thank you. So you are my satisfaction, and you are my
joy, and you are my rock, and you are my leader, and I should follow you. You have told me great things-I don’t think I
should let you out of my sight!
Person
2: Fix your eyes on me. The author and perfecter. For you and for all, I endured the cross,
carried your weight, scorning it.
Person
1: Okay, I think I am ready. I just have one more question. Why are you doing this? Helping me?
Person
2: Because I love you. So much.
More than you could ever understand.
Person
1: (smiles and pauses) Wait-I feel bad,
you knew my name, but I don’t know yours.
Could you please tell me?
Person
2: My name is Jesus.
Person
1: Jesus. Alright, Jesus I think I am ready to follow
you and focus on you. Can you help me
avoid distractions and things that may get me off course?
Person
2: I can-fix your eyes on me.
(
Person 1 and Person 2 walk away)
After this skit, I used the PowerPoint to talk about the television show that was on GSN called Baggage hosted by Jerry Springer. In this dating show, one person would get to view potential dates' baggage in increasing levels of embarrassment and shame. In the end, both would have to decide if they were still willing to go on a date with one another despite the baggage each one had. In my head, I can see myself on that show-revealing all of my baggage, my secrets, my shames, my failures to God, and praying that he will accept my baggage and take me. The great thing is-the answer is yes. Jesus will take me with my baggage because of the love He has for the world. I don't have to be afraid or worried, I just have to cast my cares on Jesus and trust Him.
I finished the chapel with a closing metaphor that life is not a sprint-it is a marathon. Sprints are over right away, but marathons take a bit to finish. They require stamina and persistence and focus. Walking with our focus on God requires all of these things, but it is worth it because of the freedom it provides. We need to be willing to follow God however and let Him be the focal point. I told the students ways to give up baggage in our lives:
-admit your faults and where you went wrong-gradual process
-discipline yourself to be attentive to God's voice (avoid distractions)
-ask Him to help you! (we aren't walking alone, remember?)
-Let God in and submit to Him!
"Be strong and of good courage. Do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the one who goes with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you."-Deuteronomy 31:6
