The Persistent Dad

A day at the park turns scary when a little boy disobeys. This is a puppet show about God's persistent love and forgiveness based on the story of the lost sheep found in Luke 15:1-7 RSV.

Characters:
Narrator
Dad
Jimmy (Preferably a puppet with legs.)
Sister(s)
Brother(s)

Narrator: One warm summer day, a dad brought his kids to the park for a fun afternoon outing. Now this was a big park. It had a huge playground with slides, tunnels, a bouncy bridge, and a clubhouse. The park also had a long soccer field, lots of tall trees, and a creek way down at the end. Have you ever been to a park like that, boys and girls? Well that's where this loving dad brought his kids to play.

Dad, Jimmy, Sister(s), and Brother(s) enter.

Dad: (To Jimmy and the kids.) Now, everybody listen up. You can run around here by the playground all you want, but don't go too far. Stay where I can see you. OK?

Jimmy, Sister(s), Brother(s): (In unison.) OK, Dad.

Narrator: Jimmy and the other kids ran off to play on the playground. They had a lot of fun sliding down the slides, climbing through the tunnels, and rocking the bouncy bridge. But after a while, Jimmy got bored.

Jimmy: I don't want to play here anymore. I want to see the rest of the park. Maybe if I just go a little ways away, Dad won't worry.

Narrator: Jimmy disobeyed his dad and snuck away from the playground area. He skipped and sang across the long soccer field - (Jimmy skips and sings.) all the way to the tall trees at the end of the park.

Jimmy: Wow, look at all those trees. Hey, there's a trail leading down to the creek. Awesome!

Narrator: Jimmy stopped. He looked back at his dad sitting on a bench by the playground.

Jimmy: I'll just go real quick and Dad won't even know I'm gone. I have to see where this trail leads.

Narrator: So Jimmy slipped into the trees and followed the trail down the bank to the creek. He jumped across stepping stones that were in the creek. He made it halfway across the water until there was only one more rock to leap on to get across.

Jimmy: Oh, I can make that jump. No problem! (Crouches down, pulls his arms back.) One, Two, Three! (Jumps.) Ah! Ow! Whoa! (Falls over.) Ow, my ankle. Oh, no. I can't move my foot!

Narrator: Jimmy had slipped off the rock and hurt his ankle badly. Worst of all, he couldn't move and he was lying in the water. He called for help.

Jimmy: Dad! Dad! Help me, Dad!

Narrator: But Jimmy was too far away for his dad to hear him.

Jimmy: (Shouts.) Dad! Dad! I'm in the creek! (In normal voice.) Oh, man. I'm too far away. I shouldn't have disobeyed him and wandered off. Now I'm stuck here and it'll get dark soon and I'll be wet and cold and all alone, all night long.

Narrator: Back at the playground, Dad noticed that Jimmy wasn't playing with the other kids.

Dad: Hey, kids. Where's Jimmy?

Sister: Isn't he here at the playground?

Dad: I don't think so. I can't spot him anywhere.

Brother: Oh, no, I don't see him either. Is he lost, Dad?

Dad: Yes, I'm afraid so, but I'm going to find him. You stay here with the other kids. You'll be safe here together. I'll go look for Jimmy. I'm going to search and search until I find your lost brother.

Kids exit.

Narrator: Dad looked everywhere for Jimmy. Under the slides, in the tunnels, in the clubhouse, and under the bouncy bridge. But Jimmy wasn't at the playground.

Dad: Jimmy! Jimmy! Where are you?

Narrator: Dad ran to the long soccer field and looked and looked. But Jimmy wasn't there either.

Dad: Jimmy! Jimmy! Where could he be?

Narrator: Dad stopped and thought for a minute. (Dad taps hand on head several times.)

Dad: Well, I know Jimmy is a very curious boy. He likes adventures, but he can get into trouble when he doesn't listen to me. He's probably someplace adventurous where he's never been before.

Narrator: Just then a breeze blew through the trees. Dad looked up at the blowing branches.

Dad: Ah-ha! The trees. Maybe he's hiking under the trees.

Narrator: Dad looked carefully into the tall trees, but he didn't see Jimmy anywhere. Then he spotted a small trail leading down to the creek. Dad ran to follow the trail, thinking that maybe, just maybe, Jimmy had followed it, too. Even though Jimmy had been naughty and disobeyed him, Dad had to find his lost son whom he loved so much.

Jimmy: (From behind stage.) Dad! Dad! Help me!

Dad: What was that? (To audience.) Did you hear something?

Jimmy: (From behind stage but louder.) Dad! Help!

Dad: There it is again. It sounds like Jimmy. Jimmy! Jimmy! Can you hear me?

Jimmy: Dad! Is that you?

Dad: Yes, it's me. (To audience.) It's him, it's really him! (To Jimmy.) Where are you?

Jimmy: In the creek, and I can't move.

Dad: OK. I'm coming. Hold on.

Narrator: Dad scrabbled down the creek bank and looked for Jimmy. He saw him lying in the water next to a big rock. (Jimmy appears on stage, lying on his side with his leg taped in a crooked position.)

Dad: Jimmy! I found you! Are you all right?

Jimmy: I can't move my foot. It hurts really bad.

Dad: Let me see it. (Looks at foot.) Hmmm. Looks like you've got a bad ankle sprain. We'll have to ice it when we get home.

Jimmy: Am I going to be OK?

Dad: Yes, now that I found you, you're going to be just fine.

Jimmy: I'm sorry that I ran off like that when you told me not to. I didn't think you'd come and find me, since it was my own fault.

Dad: Of course I'd come find you. I looked and looked everywhere, and I would've kept looking all through the night until I found you. I forgive you, Jimmy, and I want you to know that I love you very much. No matter what.

Jimmy: Thanks, Dad.

Dad and Jimmy hug. Dad helps Jimmy stand up.

Dad: Here, lean on my shoulder, and I'll help you walk.

Jimmy: OK, Dad. (Leans on Dad.)

Dad: That's it. You can do it. Let's get back to the playground and the other kids. They'll be so happy to see that you're all right.

Narrator: Dad and Jimmy made their way slowly up the creek bank, through the tall trees, across the long soccer field, and back to the playground. It took a long time, but Dad was patient with Jimmy. He was so happy to have Jimmy back safe and sound.

Other kids join Dad and Jimmy on stage.

Sister: Look, everybody! Dad's back, and Jimmy's with him!

Brother: Yay, he's OK. (Gives Sister a high-five.)

Dad: Look, everyone. Celebrate with me, for I've found my son who was lost.

Sister: (Claps hands together.) Jimmy, Jimmy, you're back. (Hugs Jimmy.)

Narrator: Everyone was so happy to see that Jimmy was back, especially Dad. Just like the shepherd in the story of the lost sheep, Jimmy's dad left the other good kids and looked and looked for his lost son who'd done something bad. God loves each one of us so much that He can't stand to be apart from us. That's why we can ask Him to forgive us when we do wrong, knowing that God will always love us and forgive us when we're sorry. No matter what. The End.

All puppets bow to audience.