An Unexpected House Guest

(Jesus' words are in bold for understanding's sake.)
Christmas, the air is chilled, the ground is frozen, and snow lies softly over the slumbering earth. It is dark out, and an odd silence rests over the world; that odd silence that only a winter night can bring, even your house seems to sleep... there is a sort of peace, everywhere except your heart.
--It's pounding.
Your eyes dart around the room rapidly, anxiety fills every vein in your body. Your brain is running so fast, you could swear you could here the synapses firing.
What's wrong? Could be anything really. Seems to happen this time of year doesn't it? There's things that didn't get done, relationships that need to be repaired, and guests your house is waiting for.

Suddenly, the doorbell rings, and this is where we start the scene:
(A figure rises out of bed and plods to the door and opens it. Immediately shock resonates, and words begin to tumble out of it's mouth.)

You: "Oh Lord!!!--- No, not --not, not like that... AIYEE!!! Lord, uhm... Oh wow... I wasn't really expecting you-- I...I.. Oh dear, look at me! This is NO way to be seen by my savior. I'm, sorry Lord! Forgive me--- Come in, sit down, let me serve you. Coffee?"

(Leads the Lord to a LazyBoy Chair)

Jesus: It's fine, really... (sits down) Coffee's good, thank you! (glances around room.)


You: Oh Lord-I'm so sorry, I haven't had time to decorate yet, I know it's your birthday... but I just um, --wasn't expecting you so soon. (mutters)--Or...at all, actually -yeesh!!

(Begins to prepare coffee)

Jesus:(Smiles, aware of what you've just said.) Actually, that's why I'm here...

You: (Shocked that Jesus heard you, your eyes widen) Because I wasn't expecting you?! No... I was, just--- not ... I... (Pours coffee into cup while stammering)

Jesus: (interrupts) Hush child, I came to help you decorate.

You: (suddenly spills the coffee) WHAT?!?!

Jesus: Let me help you...

You: NO! You're my guest, my Lord, let ME serve YOU.

(Jesus sits back and nods as you hand the coffee to him)

You: So you really came here, just to help me decorate my house?

Jesus: Well of course. Don't you remember just yesterday asking for help?

You: Ohhhhh....Well, when I prayed yesterday...I wasn't really meaning like, you personally....

Jesus: Hmmm... Well, yes. But I noticed there were a few things you WEREN'T addressing, things that were bothering you, but you wouldn't tell me.

You: So that's why you're really here, because I didn't talk to you about something?

Jesus: Be patient child, you will see. It's late. Do you have a room for me to sleep in?

You: (mutters)...Why do I have the strangest urge to say; "there's no room in the inn?" (turns to Jesus) Yep! Come this way.

(Jesus enters "guest room" and you walk over to your room and fall back to sleep, fitfully, but asleep. Morning comes. You are now in the kitchen cooking the best pancakes you know how. Jesus is sitting at the breakfast table.)

You: I hope you like pancakes?

Jesus: I'm sure anything you make will be wonderful!

You: haha.....yeeeahh.

Jesus: Would you like some help? (begins to stand)

You: No! Quit asking!! You're my guest, I will serve you.

Jesus: Alright (sits back down)So who's coming today?

You: Aunt Jessie, Mom, Dad, Uncle Carl and his wife.

Jesus: Wow, sounds like a full house!

You: Yeah, I have a lot to do still too. I'm so flustered this season...Just really not ready for it.

Jesus: (chuckles) I've noticed.

You: (begins to show anxiety) You noticed? (wincing)

Jesus: I have to honey, I'm God remember?

You: Oh, right....

(breakfast is eaten and we now move to the attic)

Jesus: (smiles) So how can I help you?

You: Actually (embarrassed by the state of the attic and what is in it. In the corner of the attic are things you really should have gotten rid of years ago, but haven't had the courage to.)... I'll bring some boxes downstairs to you, and then you can deal with them there, how's that sound?

Jesus: Ok, (walks down the attic stairs)

You: (thinking quickly) Uhm, Ok...I'll need this, this...oh and this. (You end up walking down the stairs with only one box.)

Jesus: Hmm this is it?

You: This is all I thought you would like....

Jesus: Why don't you let me help you....

You: Why do you keep saying that?!?!

Jesus and You: "You're my guest, I will serve you."

You: (wince) Ok, what's your point?

Jesus: Sit down, I want to tell you a story.

You: But Lord....

Jesus: Child, sit.

(You sit down reluctantly)

Jesus: Once upon a time there was a family of ducks. The daddy duck knew his ducklings well, and loved them all very much.

You: Ducks? I'm not four....

Jesus: (sighs, and looks at you.)

You: (head drops) Ok... sorry, go ahead...

Jesus: The daddy duck taught his children how to swim, how to get food, and how to clean their feathers. Well one day, his ducklings grew up, and the mommy duck sent them off to find their own families so that one day they could become mommy and daddy ducks. Every year, the ducklings would come back and talk to their daddy about how they were doing. Well, one year one of the ducklings came back, but was so busy feeding, and cleaning and serving the daddy duck, that they never got to talk. Meanwhile, the daddy duck knew the little duckling was hiding something. But said nothing. The duckling went on his way, and didn't come back till next year....

You: (interrupting) Ok, I get it.... But don't you like being served? Aren't we as Christians supposed to do good works?

Jesus: Yes, but I think you're missing something. See, the little duckling wouldn't be anything without having it's father's help, it wouldn't know HOW to swim, HOW to clean, HOW to serve. The duckling learned from it's father.

You: Right, and?

Jesus: You aren't resting. You're doing all these things for me, yet won't let me in to "talk" to you. For instance, your attic....

You: (wince) I know I know, It needs to be cleaned.

Jesus: and your Christmas Decorations?

You: I'm just afraid you won't like them.....

Jesus: Try me.

(Lights go down, and come back up in the living room, it's full of boxes and tins.)

Jesus: That's more like it.

You: Ok, well...Now what?

Jesus: Let's start, ok?

You: Alright...well first we need the tree, then the lights, then....

(Lights fade, when they come back up the tree is light, but there are no ornaments on it. The rest of the house looks very festive and you and Jesus are sitting on the couch talking.You seem to be enjoying yourself)

Jesus: This looks fantastic!!!

You: You really like it?

Jesus: Of course I do!!! You let me help, you were honest with me, and now we're talking again. I've missed you.

You: I've missed you too. I had forgotten how comfortable I am around you.

Jesus: (smiles) There's just one more thing we have to do.

You: Yep! Ornaments.

(You head for a box, it's labeled "Broken Hearts", you open it and begin placing the broken heart ornaments on the tree. Meanwhile, Jesus head's towards another box labeled "Painful Memories" and begins to look through the contents.)

You: WAIT! Jesus, please don't touch that box...it's very fragile.. here, let me do it. (You stop placing the broken hearts on the tree and begin to hang the painful memories methodically, each one causing your face to become sadder and sadder. )

Jesus: (Comes over to you and kneels next to you) You haven't told me everything.

You: These hurt Lord...I asked you to fix the broken hearts last year, I asked you to take away the memories this year.... but they're still there. What am I supposed to do? Complain? What about that verse you know..."Do everything without complaining or arguing"

Jesus: (Takes the ornaments out of your hand and places them in his. He leads you to the couch and sits you down.) Child, that doesn't mean you stop talking to me. These things hurt, I know. I gave them to you on purpose, and I haven't fixed the broken hearts, because some of them aren't even yours to worry about.

You: Huh?

Jesus: Honey, look at this one. (Picks up a shattered heart, barely repaired with Snoopy Band-Aids) This is heart is not even yours, yet you've tried to repair it...with what? Baind-Aids... shouldn't you leave that to me?

You: But it wasn't getting fixed....

Jesus: I have my own work to do in this person's life, why don't you leave it to me, ok?

You: Ok... Well, what about mine? (You point to your heart, lying on the floor, trampled and crushed, shattered into pieces.) This broke a while ago, and you still haven't fixed it.

Jesus: There's a reason, you needed to learn my grace is sufficient. And even though this Christmas, you've brought up these past hurts, I know you've learned what you needed to, concerning this one. Give me your heart.

(You slowly hand Jesus your heart. Jesus takes your heart, and holds it in his scarred hands. Then provides you with a new heart, one that's got scars just like his hands, but is once again; whole. He then walks over to the Painful Memories, and tapes the box back up.)

You: But Lord, you're not going to fix the memories?

Jesus: What's done is done my child, and for reasons some you will never understand. But for now, I will take them. You will still remember, but it is not yours to become bitter. So let me take these, and hand you this: (Jesus hands you a new box, labeled "Memories From Today") Once this box is filled, hand it to me. I will give you a new box, and you can fill that one up for the next day. These thoughts are mine now, you handed me your heart.

(You take the box and begin to smile, the lights go down. The scene has ended.)