. all rights belong to Tanis Harms –
. refer to www.church-skits.com
AGREE TO DISAGREE - written by Tanis Harms
TOPIC: disagreements, unity, forgiveness
SCRIPTURE: Matt.5:24, 18:15-17; Eph.4:31-32
Style: drama/conversation: 3 FEMALES (could be men)
. try to work out a situation where one of them
. is offended way to easily over differences
. of opinions. This does not equal sin.
Cast: BOBBI, DANI, ELLEN
SCRIPT:
(DANI & ELLEN approach BOBBY with a stern attitude.)
BOBBI Hi, Dani – Ellen. What’s up?
DANI You should know, Bobbi. I approached you once
. about this matter, but you didn’t do anything
. about it. I doubt that you even listened.
. So now, according to Matthew chapter 18,
. I’ve brought along Ellen to help.
BOBBI I still don’t understand. What did I do?
DANI You offended me.
BOBBI Well... please tell me how, Dani.
DANI You should just KNOW.
ELLEN Eh, okay, let’s keep it civil.
BOBBI I’m sorry, but this is very frustrating.
. Seriously, I have no idea.
DANI I shouldn’t have to tell you.
ELLEN I actually - disagree with that there.
. (shrugs at DANI’S hurt-filled glare)
DANI Okay! (turns back to BOBBI) But I’ve already
. told you. At the last Sunday School committee
. meeting - you were very rude to me –
. 2
BOBBI (quickly, defensively) I was frustrated.
. I felt like I wasn’t even being heard.
. And I already apologized for that,
. and you said you forgave me.
ELLEN Dani, you can’t just keep bringing up old–
DANI It’s not that. You still haven’t apologized
. for NOT supporting me on the new study material.
BOBBI Buuuttt, I was just giving my opinion.
DANI You were trying to run things. It’s always
. about you and what you want. But - if you just
. always want things to go YOUR way, then –
. that’s fine – whatever.
BOBBI Couldn’t I say the same thing about you?
. You had your opinion and wanted to see your idea
. put in place. And it was. How is that
. any different than what I did?
DANI It was 3 to 1.
BOBBI But I’m still allowed to have my opinion
. and disagree with yours.
ELLEN (cautiously) That is correct. So Matthew 18
. really does not even apply to this situation...
. It’s not like a sin was committed.
DANI There WAS - I was offended.
BOBBI I think you offend way too easily.
ELLEN (to BOBBI) Easy. (to DANI) Dani,
. what exactly do you think Bobbi is guilty of?
DANI I felt attacked because she kept disagreeing.
ELLEN That’s not a sin.
DANI The Bible is clear that if I’ve been offended
. I should approach –
. 3
ELLEN To offend someone means they have committed
. an offense... that they have actually sinned
. against them. You’re not going to have everyone
. agree with you 100 percent of the time.
. It’s impossible.
DANI But the Bible talks about unity. We are
. supposed to be unified.
ELLEN You can’t beat or bully people into unity.
. And there will be times where you’ll just
. have to agree to disagree.
DANI I disagree! We are supposed to be of one mind.
BOBBI But - does it have to be YOUR mind?
DANI It would be yours too if we were all in agreement.
ELLEN Regarding that verse, it should be God's mind.
. But listen, God allows some variety. Let’s say we
. went out for lunch, and two of us wanted to go
. to Burger King’s, but the other wanted McDonald’s –
. no one would be wrong. No one would commit a sin
. if they disagreed.
DANI Except our disagreement was over study material.
ELLEN And either one would have been fine. They are
. both doctrinally sound and well laid out -
DANI And I wouldn’t go to either of those restaurants –
. I prefer Wendy’s.
ELLEN Then I won’t suggest we go out to eat. Dani!
. You’re being so contentious. Do you WANT
. to fight?
DANI I thought you were on MY side?
ELLEN You brought me along to act as a peacekeeper.
. And that’s what I’m trying to do. As I see it,
. you’re being very unfair. And self-righteous.
BOBBI Maybe you don’t realize, but you have really 4
. hurt ME through all this too, you know.
. I feel like I have to walk around on eggshells
. around some of you, and that’s not right.
DANI I’ve been hurt too. And you’ve done enough
. things to make me not trust you anymore.
BOBBI Because I express my opinions? I thought that was
. the purpose for committees. To consider other
. ideas, discuss them, then make the best choice -
DANI Well fine then! Let’s agree to disagree!
(DANI storms off haughtily. ELLEN looks at BOBBI.)
BOBBI She doesn’t get it. What should I do? Do I
. need to pursue this any further? Matthew 5:24
. says I should reconcile with my brother.
ELLEN (sighing and shaking her head)
. You’ve done your part. You let Dani know
. that you were hurt. You tried to talk.
. It’s up to Dani to apologize. But,
. whether or not you ever get an apology,
. you need to choose to forgive Dani,
. or you’ll wind up being bitter...
. Easier said than done.
BOBBI Everything in God’s strength, so God’s help,
. I will forgive her.
ELLEN That's exactly it - ask God to forgive her
. FOR you.