SCRIPT TITLE

Out of the Salt Shaker

AUTHORSHIP

BIBLE BASIS

Matthew 5:13-16

THEME

You are the salt of the earth.

KEY VERSE

You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men. (Matthew 5:13)

CHARACTERS

NAdine and CLyde, two salt crystals. (NOTE: You may change the characters’ names and genders if this better suits your cast.)

COSTUMES

NAdine and CLyde wear white boxes to suggest they are salt crystals. Under the boxes, the actors should wear white pants and shirts.

PROPS

Three or four other white boxes of the same size as the ones worn by the actors

Flipchart and pens (for conclusion)

SETTING

Inside a saltshaker

SUMMARY

Salt is powerful stuff. It can be used as a medicine, as a preservative and as a flavor enhancer. But, until it gets out of the saltshaker, it’s of little use to anyone.

BIBLE BASIS

Matthew 5:13-16

INTRODUCTION

Jesus wants His followers to be different from the world around us. In the Bible, He tells us to be salt and light in the world. It’s easy to understand what it means to be light in the world, isn’t it? When you bring a light into a dark place, it lights up the whole room and helps you see better. So, that must mean that Jesus wants us bring the light of His Word into the world’s dark places, so we can walk through life without being tripped up by sin.

But what about salt? What did Jesus mean when He told us to be the salt of the earth? Well, salt is one of God’s very special creations. In fact, God gave salt lots of super powers. As you watch today’s drama, listen and see if you can learn four of the special powers that salt has!

DRAMA

General staging note:  All action should be contained to a small circular space, to enhance the illusion that the actors are inside a saltshaker.  It may be helpful to scribe a circle on the floor with tape to serve as the actors’ boundary.

Salt crystals NADINE and CLYDE sit upon a number of other salt crystals (white boxes) at center stage.  They lean against each other as if sleeping.  NADINE stretches as if waking up.  She looks up and becomes suddenly excited, then begins shaking CLYDE awake.

NADINE:   Clyde!  Clyde!  Wake up!  It’s time!  It’s finally our turn!

CLYDE:      (turning away from her, trying to keep sleeping)  Huh?  Wha?  What time is it?

NADINE:   C’mon, c’mon!  Get up off your crystals and take a look for yourself.

CLYDE:      All right, Nadine, all right.  But if this is another one of your false alarms, I’m going to be one very angry old salt.

CLYDE reluctantly stands and stretches.  He stretches to his right.

CLYDE:      One, two, three, four.

NADINE:   (pointing up)  There!  See?  What did I tell you?  (pause) Clyde?

CLYDE:      (stretching to his left)  Two, two, three, four.

NADINE:   Oh, for Pete’s sake!  Do you have to do your entire stretching routine on a day like today?

CLYDE:      Honestly, Nadine.  You of all people should know how important it is for us salt crystals to keep our shape.  (stretching to touch his toes)  Three, two, three four.

NADINE:   (heavy sigh)

CLYDE:      (stretching his hands over his head)  Four, two, three …  (he looks up and freezes in place, then screams in terror at the sight)  Ahhhhhh!

NADINE:   What!  What’s wrong?  Did you strain something?

CLYDE:      (remaining frozen in place, staring and pointing above his head and wimpering)  Wha?  Wha?  What’s that?

NADINE follows his glance.  A knowing looks comes on her face.

NADINE:   That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you about, silly!  We’ve finally made it, Clyde!  We’re at the top of the heap.

CLYDE:      The top of the heap?

NADINE:   That, my dear friend, is the top of the saltshaker.  Isn’t it beautiful?  (points at three or four spots above their heads)  See those little holes?  They’re our way of escape, Clyde!

CLYDE:      (more fearful)  Escape?!?

NADINE:   Yep.  (looking at the other salt crystals at her feet)  You know, it seems like only yesterday when we were poured out of that dark paper cylinder into this bright, glass saltshaker.  I thought we’d be stuck at the bottom forever.  But today, today we have reached the top, my friend.  Just one more shake, and we’ll be out of the saltshaker and into the world!  (she looks offstage, cupping her hands around her eyes as if looking out of a glass surface)  I sure hope they make popcorn today!

During the above, CLYDE begins to try to crawl under the other salt crystals at his feet.

NADINE:   (noticing CLYDE’s evasive actions and pulling him out from under the other crystals)  Clyde?  Clyde!  What are you doing?  Where are you going?

CLYDE:      I … I’m sorry, Nadine.  I just don’t think I can do it.

NADINE:   Do it?  Do what?

CLYDE:      (looking around the 360 degrees of the shaker)  I just can’t leave this place.  I want to stay!  (clinging to her)  Please, don’t make me leave!

NADINE:   What are you talking about?  Of course you can leave!  You didn’t think you could stay in the saltshaker your entire life did you?

CLYDE:      Well, why not?

NADINE:   Why not?  Why not!  This is our destiny, Clyde!  We were created for this purpose.  We are salt!  If we don’t do our job, who will?

CLYDE:      (pointing outside of the shaker)  What about him?  (cupping hand around eyes, straining to read a label)  or…reg…an…no.  Oregano!  Can’t he take our place?

NADINE:   Nope!  There’s only one salt, and we’re it.

CLYDE:      (secretively)  You know, I’ll bet if we just stay quiet, everyone will forget we’re even here.  People get way too much salt in their diets these days, anyway.

NADINE:   Clyde!  I cannot believe your attitude.  Why are you so afraid of getting out of this shaker and into the world?

CLYDE:      (gesturing outside the shaker)  Are you kidding?  Have you taken a good look at the world out there, Nadine?  The world you are so eager to get into is not a pretty place to be!

NADINE:   Clyde, what are you talking about?

CLYDE:      Well, germs for one.  Did you hear that lady coughing yesterday?  For a minute there, I thought she was going to cough up a lung!

NADINE:   (laughing)  Germs?!?  Germs!?!  Are you kidding?  Germs are no match for salt!

CLYDE:      What do you mean?

NADINE:   Don’t you remember that one of our superpowers is killing germs?  Way back in the olden days, people used to use salt to cleanse wounds.  In fact, hospitals still use salt solutions to help sick people get well.

CLYDE:      They do?

NADINE:   Sure they do!

CLYDE:      Okay, but what about all the rotten stuff out there?  Did you get a whiff of that bag of garbage they threw out last week?

NADINE:   Yeah, I think they must have had some sour grapes or something.

CLYDE:      Well, there is no way I’m going to be a part of that!

NADINE:   Really, Clyde.  Were you listening during orientation?  Because if you were, you would know that our second super power is stopping decay.  Back in the olden days, they used to cover meat and fish with salt to keep it from rotting.  In fact, salt is strong enough to turn a lowly cucumber into a mighty pickle.

CLYDE:      Better not tell Larry about that.  (pause)  You keep talking about the olden days.  It sounds like they don’t have much use for us anymore.

NADINE:   Are you kidding?  In the winter, they sprinkle salt on the highways to melt the ice.

CLYDE:      Sprinkled on the highway?  Oh, and that’s supposed to make me feel better about getting out of this saltshaker.

NADINE:   Clyde.  You are ordinary table salt.  You won’t get anywhere near the interstate, I promise you.

CLYDE:      Then what will I do when they finally shake me out of the shaker?

NADINE:   That’s the best part!  Our most popular super power!  We make things taste great!

CLYDE:      We do?

NADINE:   Of course we do.  Think about how bland the world would be without a little salt.  Popcorn would be tasteless.  French fries?  Yuck!  And, no more saltwater taffy!  Most of the recipes in their cookbooks call for at least a pinch or two of salt.  Believe me, without us, the world would be a very sad and tasteless place.

CLYDE:      Yeah, I guess you’re right.

NADINE:   So, what do you say, old pal?  Are you ready to get out of this ol’ saltshaker and get out into the world?  Are you ready to help kills germs?

CLYDE:      Yeah!

NADINE:   Are you ready to stop food from rotting?

CLYDE:      Yeah!

NADINE:   Are you ready to melt the ice on the interstate?

CLYDE:      Ye --- (panicking)  NO!  NO!

NADINE:   Oops!  Sorry.  Forget I mentioned it.

CLYDE:      (hesitantly)  Okay.

NADINE:   Are you ready to make everything you touch a little tastier?

CLYDE:      YEAH!

NADINE:   All right!  I’m with you buddy every step of the way!

They give each other a high-five and then look expectantly up.  After a pause, they look at each other.  NADINE returns her gaze upward, while CLYDE cups his hands around his eys and looks out of the shaker.  He returns to his seat on the other salt crystals.

NADINE:   Clyde!  What’s wrong?  Did you lose your nerve?  Aren’t you ready to get out of the shaker?

CLYDE:      Nadine, look at the clock out there.  It’s three in the morning.

NADINE:   (pause)  Oops!

CLYDE:      Breakfast’s not for another four hours.  I’m getting some rest.

NADINE:   Yeah.  That sounds good.  I’m with you, Clyde.

NADINE sits down, and the both resume their original positions.

Copyright 2002 by Nina Wallestad.  All rights reserved.

CONCLUSION

Okay, let’s see how well you were listening. Maybe our salty friends can come help us. Who can remember one of the four special qualities of salt? (Allow kids to answer. When a correct answer is given, write it on the flipchart. If kids get stuck remembers all four, ask one of the two actors to give a hint. Once all four answers are on the board, continue as below.)

So, salt helps kill germs. How can a Christian be like salt in this way? (Allow for answers.) That’s great. By following Jesus we can help stop the germs of sin that are growing in our own hearts and in the world.
Salt also keeps things from rotting. How is this like a Christian? (Allow for answers.) Good ideas. You know, a Christian who is trying to live like Jesus can help things stay fresh and healthy. You can help prevent your school, neighborhood or family from becoming a rotten place to be.
Salt also melts ice. How can a Christian be like salt in this way? (Allow for answers.) Great! We can help people whose hearts are cold to melt by loving them the way Jesus loves us.
Finally, salt helps things taste good. How is this like a Christian? (Allow for answers.) Right! When we act like Jesus, we bring out the best in everyone around us.

Good work, kids! I can tell you were really thinking this morning!

Prayer Points

Pray that we would remember the special ways that we can be like salt and light in the world
Pray that we wouldn’t be afraid to share our saltiness with those around us
Pray that our friends and family would notice us making a difference for Christ in our world, and be encouraged in their faith.