Get out of your BOX!

Needed:

• Big box (48” x 48” x 48”)
• Drill / impact driver / screws
• Chair inside
• Rough looking clothes on top of nice clothing underneath

Premise:

This object lesson or skit talks about getting of your comfort zone, getting out of your “BOX” and becoming everything God wants you to be.  There is a teacher that plays the serious, instructing side and another that is stuck inside their “box”.  This person is put into a BIG box, the lid is fastened down and they are happy… just where they want to be… until reality sets in.  When they realize they are actually trapped by their box, they panic and eventually, with God’s help break out.

Prep:

The box should be made from two different materials.  Two of the sides and the top and bottom should be ½” inexpensive OSB or plywood and the other two sides should be something thin (1/4” or 1/8”) and relatively easy to break if necessary. The edges were held together with 2” x 2” pieces, screwed into from both sides.  The size of 48” x 48” was chosen because it was very easy to make.  One cut across a piece of plywood made me two sides and it made a box big enough to be in for a while without feeling claustrophobic.

Leave the box off-stage where no one can see it at first and put a small chair, a snack, a drink, a suitcoat and maybe even dress shoes inside ahead of time.

Lesson:

The narrator walks out follows by the BOXMAN, they both go on stage where the NARRATOR begins talking while BOXMAN acts out each line.

NARRATOR: Sometimes we can ALL be in a box… it is usually a box of our choosing and our design.  It is a place we are comfortable, a place where we feel safe – a place we LIKE to be.

For some people, this BOX is:

• The shell of indifference that we build around ourselves (BOXMAN acts like he doesn’t care about anything)
• A funny, happy go lucky guy or girl that is ALWAYS laughing, cutting up and goofing around (BOXMAN cracks up, falls on ground and laughs crazily at random people)
• Being shy, reserved, quiet, introspective, not wanting to talk to anyone (BOXMAN curls up and ignores the world)
• Being arrogant, always talking about yourself. Wanting everyone around you to think you are THE BEST! (BOXMAN puffs himself up, sneers and flexes his muscles)
• Being cool – too cool to have fun and laugh – too cool to pray – to cool to tell people about the church you go to (BOXMAN swaggers around)
• Peer pressure – wanting to impress their friends. Don’t go up and pray! People might think you aren’t cool (BOXMAN looks around and tries to act just like whoever he is looking at)

PEOPLE BRING OUT BOX. BOXMAN, SHOUTS, STOPS NARRATOR

BOXMAN: My box!  Hey!  Here is my box!  I love you box!

BOXMAN GIVES THE BOX A BIG HUG!

AGAINST PROTESTS FROM THE NARRATOR, BOXMAN CLIMBS IN WITH HELP OF A LADDER AND A STAGE HAND.  THIS STAGE HAND SCREWS THE LID ON VERY SECURELY.

BOXMAN (from inside the box): OH YES! I LOVE THIS!!! NO ONE BOTHERS ME HERE! I’M SAFE, WARM, HAPPY – AHHHHHHHHHHHHH…. I’M SAFE! NO ONE CAN HURT ME HERE! I’M PROTECTED! SECURE!

                PEEKS OUT OF THE FLAP OUT THE BOX

BOXMAN: Oooohhh…. It looks scary out there.  I might get hurt if I ever leave this box.  BYE! (SLAMS FLAP CLOSED)

BOXMAN THEN EATS SNACK AND DRINK OF SOME KIND AND HOLDS THEM OUT THE FLAP

BOXMAN: WHOO HOO!  I got everything I need… food, drinks…. I got it all in here.  I’m as happy as lil’ baby chicken in a big fat egg.

NARRATOR:  Uh yeah, about that.  The chick is comfortable – warm, cozy, taken care of, and never has to think about food or anything else… BUT!!! What would happen if he never came out? (ASKS THIS TO THE AUDIENCE)

BOXMAN: He would be happy forever!

NARRATOR:  It will never become what it was meant to be;  It will never grow; It will never help others

BOXMAN (INTERRUPTS!!!!): Well, ok… uh… I’m as happy… as happy a lil’ butterfly in a cozy cocoon.

NARRATOR: AND ABOUT THAT!  What if the butterfly never left his cocoon?

BOXMAN: He would be happy forever!

NARRATOR: No… It will never fly; It will never become beautiful; NEVER BE ABLE TO ACCOMPLISH EVERYTHING HE WAS MEANT TO DO! IF IT STAYS TOO LONG, IT WILL EVENTUALLY DIE!!!!

BOXMAN (FREAKS OUT, FLIPS OPEN THE FLAP AND SCREAMS): WHAT DID YOU SAY?!?!?!

NARRATOR: Well, eventually, if it stays there too long… yes, it can… it can die.

Silence

NARRATOR: Don’t you want to become more than you are?

BOXMAN: I’ll never amount to much

NARRATOR: Do you want to be successful?

BOXMAN: Well, yes but I’ll never be able to be…

NARRATOR: Don’t you want to do something great for God?

BOXMAN: Of course… but I… I just… I’m so… so… comfortable in here.  So safe.

NARRATOR: Do you want to be the same for the rest of your life?

BOXMAN: NO! I WANT TO BE BETTER THAN I AM!

NARRATOR: Why don’t you get out of your box?!!?!?

BOXMAN: BECAUSE IT WOULD BE HARD! IT WOULD BE UNCOMFORTABLE!!!!!

NARRATOR: “You ONLY grow when you are uncomfortable”

Silence

NARRATOR: “To be outstanding, get comfortable with being uncomfortable”

BOXMAN: Hey… I’m out of food!!!!

NARRATOR: “Find your comfort zone and then LEAVE IT!”

BOXMAN: Can you get me something to eat please?  How about a refill?

NARRATOR: Sometimes God puts us in a position where we MUST make a decision!!!! WILL WE LIVE FOR HIM OR NOT? THE ENTIRE OUTCOME OF YOUR LIFE MAY HINGE ON THIS ONE MOMENT.

NARRATOR: “Greatness begins beyond your comfort zone”

BOXMAN: Uh… ok… I want out… REALLY… I do… I want out….

LONG SILENCE —-

BOXMAN: Hello! I said I want to come out but nothing is happening! Why am I still in here?

NARRATOR: Well, that’s a problem… you can’t get out by WANTING out!  You have to WORK at it!  Faith without WORKS is DEAD!

BOXMAN: Oh… this isn’t going to be easy is it?

NARRATOR: SIGH…. No probably not.

BOXMAN TIMIDLY try to get out of the box – barely even tries – nothing really results.

BOXMAN: I can’t get out! The box is just too strong

NARRATOR: You created the box. You spent a long time making it and making it REALLY strong so now you’ve got to work hard to get out. You’ve got to BE DESPERATE to get out.

BOXMAN becomes frantic and makes headway but is still having a tough time… Breaks open part of the box and sticks his head out…

BOXMAN: It hurts!… it’s JUST so hard! HELP ME!!!! PLEASE HELP!!!! I’m just so tired and weak.  I can’t fight any longer.

NARRATOR tells a story while BOXMAN struggles:

Once a little boy was playing outdoors and found a fascinating caterpillar. He carefully picked it up and took it home to show his mother. He asked his mother if he could keep it, and she said he could if he would take good care of it.

The little boy got a large jar from his mother and every day he watched the caterpillar.

One day the caterpillar climbed up the stick and began to make a cocoon.

The little boy watched every day, waiting for the butterfly to emerge. One day it happened, a small hole appeared in the cocoon and the butterfly started to struggle to come out. At first the boy was excited, but soon he became concerned. The butterfly was struggling so hard to get out! It looked like it couldn’t break free! It looked desperate! It looked like it was making no progress!

The boy was so concerned he decided to help. He carefully snipped the cocoon open with scissors to make the hole bigger and the butterfly quickly emerged!

As the butterfly came out the boy was surprised. It had a swollen body and small, shriveled wings. He continued to watch the butterfly expecting that, at any moment, the wings would dry out, enlarge and expand to support the swollen body.

But nothing happened!

The butterfly never grew and soon after, it died.

He learned later that the butterfly was SUPPOSED to struggle. In fact, the butterfly’s struggle to push its way through the tiny opening of the cocoon makes it stronger. Without the struggle, the butterfly would never, ever fly. The boy’s accidentally hurt the butterfly.

Remember that sometimes, struggling is an important part of any growth experience. The struggle can make you strong.

NARRATOR: As badly as I want to help you, your struggle is part of what makes you grow.  ONLY JESUS CAN HELP YOU WITH THIS PROBLEM WITHOUT HURTING YOU IN THE PROCESS

BOXMAN: Help me Jesus! God please help me. I know I can’t do this on my own. I’ve got to have your help.

BOXMAN then starts to kick the box to PIECES!!!!

BOXMAN finally gets out and begins to dance around the stage SCREAMING, “I’M FREE!!!!! I’M FREE!!!”

When he stands up he shows that he has changed from his ragged clothes into a suit! He is better off now than he was!

NARRATOR: Just like our friend here… EVERYONE will be one day put in a place of decision.  Where you MUST decide… do I get out of my box and live for God or do I stay here and die?

BOXMAN (Looks at the remains of the box): Can I hand onto this just in case?  Just in case this doesn’t all work out I may need a place to come back to.

NARRATOR: NO! You need to burn your bridges… don’t EVER come back!  Live for God with all your heart and NEVER turn back.

THE BOXMAN AND THE NARRATOR COMPLETELY FLATTEN THE BOX