NARATOR: And if thy hand offend thee, cut it off: it is better for thee to enter into life maimed, than having two hands to go into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched: Where their worm dieth not, and the fire is not quenched.
Act One Scene 1
The scene opens with James walking back
home from school. A moment later, Jane appears on scene
JANE: (puffing) James! James!!
JAMES: (turns back abruptly) what is
chasing you, Jane? Is anything the matter?
JANES: Yes… no, actually, I want to
consider the request you have been proposing to me over the months. I want to
be born again!
JAMES: (excitedly) Hallelujah!
JANE: praise God!
JAMES: But, what informed your sudden
decision after these long years of unbending will to surrender your life to
Christ despite my consistent persuasion in the past? I believe God must have
convicted you and impress upon your heart the need to submit your life to Him
in order to escape the impending judgment coming to all sinners and
backsliders.
JANE: In fact, it was a battle! In my
dream, I saw hell. I thought I was already dead. My God! Come and see how
people were panting and crying in hell like little babies. As I drew near hell,
I began to shout, “God please pardon me! God of mercy have mercy on me!” then I
heard a voice like the sound of many waters. The voice spoke from the thick
dark cloud, “my dear daughter, I’ll give you another chance, just for this one
time! When you go back to earth, go and meet my son, James, he will tell you
what to do. And more so, build a very intimate relationship with him as he will
teach you my precept that you may walk therein and not spent your eternity here
in hell.”
JAMES: Hmm, God really loves you. Let’s
pray.
She brings her hands for James to hold
so as to lead her to Christ. He brings his also to hold her but suddenly
retreated as if to perceive danger.
JANE: (surprisingly) Brother James, what
is the matter? Why did you pull back from holding my hands? This is no more the
Jane you use to know, I’m now a change person.
JAMES: Please don’t be offended. The
Holy Spirit asks me not to hold your hands. I believe it’s for a good reason.
Sister Jane, I can still pray with you without necessarily holding your hands.
Can we pray now?
JANES: No problem, who are we to disobey
the Holy Spirit.
JAMES leads her to Christ. After the
prayers, they bid each other good bye and go out of the stage.
Light Fades to Blackout
Act one Scene 2
The scene opens with Jane and her friend
Labake walking side by side speaking in whispers. They seem to be returning
back from school. Just when they get to the middle of the stage, Labake speaks…
LABAKE: (with a concern look) Jane, tell
me something, you mean you are now among the SU, the Sisters Union?
JANES: (Irritatingly) Over my dead body!
How can I become a fanatic? I can’t imagine myself dress like an SU not to talk
of behaving like one.
LABAKE: Come, I’m not a child. Stop
playing the ostrich. I saw you together with James going in and out of the
fellowship today. And besides, this is not the first time. Tell me the truth,
have you also been deceived?
JANE: (Laughs) I’m on a mission, Labake.
LABAKE: on what mission…
JANE: (Puts her hand over her mouth to
hush her) Hey, Lower your voice!
LABAKE: (Softly) Sorry. So, what is the
mission all about?
JANE: I want him back to me. I want us
to start our long abandon relationship again. I want him to shift his attention
away from Christ to myself.
LABAKE: That’s a good idea but James has
gone too far with that Jesus, he can neither fall or be deluded by your
chicanery! Don’t you see the exploit he is doing in the fellowship since is so
called conversion? He prays as if heaven will fall down and he is very decent
these days. Since is conversion to that Jesus, he has stopped his handshakes
with the opposite sex which he was much fond of.
JANE: That’s it. That is my target. I’m
damn sure that if we begin to shake hands again, he will begin to lust after
me. I can still remember how we shake hands then. He used to say he enjoys
shaking hands with me than any other person. He would say, “It makes my head
spine and I feel like…”
LABAKE: (Interrupted) Jane! You think
you are still in your good old days with James? Wake up from your fantasy and
face the reality: James can’t be yours any more.
LABAKE walks away leaving Jane on the
stage with a look of desperation.
JANE: (speaking as Labake leaves the
stage) You doubt me, Labake? You don’t understand. Just watch and see. I’ll get
him. It’s just a matter of time. Just a slip of hand and he is gone!
Light Fades to Blackout
Act one Scene 3
The scene opens with James and his two
bosom friends: PETER AND IFEANYI. They walk together into the stage and stop to
discuss at the middle of the stage.
IFEANYI: James, I thank God for your
life. The way God is using you is amazingly surprising. Just last Friday
fellowship, after your short message, nearly all the students trooped out for
altar call. I could see the seriousness on their heart as they drop down on
their knees and poured their heart to God in fervent prayers for repentance.
Who on earth could believe that Jane of all people could be born again. But you
have successfully won her to Christ.
PETER: Didn’t you hear the striking
testimonies that preceded the message. One happily testified to God how you
release a prophetic utterance to his stroke stricken father at home and to his
utter amazement, when he got home he saw his father walking and perfectly
whole.
JAMES: To God be all the glory.
Brothers, I need your prayers. Please, do remember me in your prayers. I’m dire
in need of your prayers!
IFEANYI: I have never heard you request
for prayers especially in this manner before. You look worried, bro. James.
Hope all is well?
PETER: In what areas should we pray for
you Brother James? I’m sure it’s not academics because you are still unbeatable
in your class.
JAMES: Yes, by the grace of God.
It’s not about my academics. Just pray for me as God leads you.
PETER AND IFEANYI: (Simultaneously)
okay.
They walk slowly out of the stage.
Light Fades To Blackout
Act two Scene 1
In the classroom. James is explaining
something for Jane; other students are obviously outside the classroom as there
are scanty seats.
JAMES: So, that’s all. Do you understand
now?
JANE: Yes, very well. Thanks a lot! I
must thank you a million times. You are such a wonderful fellow, humble,
handsome gentle, brilliant…
JAMES: (Cuts in) That’s alright. Enough
of your flatteries.
JANES: I’m not flattery you and you know
that. All I said are all true, aren’t they? For some times now you have been
helping me without demanding for anything in return. And I’m beginning to feel
guilty for not willingly offering you something in appreciation for all the
spiritual and academic helps you have been rendering to me.
(She brings out something wrapped in a
shining nylon) Please, I bought this for you. You will like it.
JAMES: (Hesitate) thank you! Don’t
worry. Keep your gift. I understand you really appreciate my little effort.
Thank you!
JANE: (On her knees) Please, accept this
from me.
JAMES: (Dazed) what is the meaning of
all this? Please stand up!
JANE: Not until you accept this from me.
JAMES: I’m going then! (He tries to go)
JANE: (She stands) Okay, please don’t
go. Since you have refused to accept my gift, can you do me a little Favour?
JAMES: I’ll if I can.
JANE: You can. Just promise me you will
do it for me. Please I beg you in the name of God!
JAMES: Please, can you just tell me what
it is?
JANE: Promise to do it for me, please?
JAMES: Okay, I promised, I’ll if I can.
So, what is it?
JANE: (Stretches forth her hand for a
handshake) Please, shake my hands for this one time!
JAMES: Is this what you are asking for?
JANE: Yes, just for once. You have been
refusing shaking hands with me ever since you became a Christian and even after
my conversion. Please, take my hands and let’s have a handshake, this is just a
sign of appreciation.
JAMES: I have told you that you are
welcome and it’s my pleasure to offer help to you as a Christian sister. Can we
forget about this handshake issue for once, please? (He glances at her wrist
watch) Sorry, I have to leave now
(He turns to leave the stage)
JANES: Remember you promised me. Promise
is a debt, you know.
JAMES: On the condition if I can. I
can’t shake your hands.
JANE: Stop that, James. That’s a lie.
The bible says, “Thou shall not lie.” Why are you lying? You have a hand and
you don’t have a boil in your hand. The bible even commend us to greet one
another with a holy…
JAMES: Stop that, Jane!
Not that I can’t give you a handshake
sister Jane, but… I just have to be careful…
Dead silence falls on the two of them as
James turns his back at her. He seems to be communicating with his inner
spirit.
HOLY SPIRIT: (voiced over) James, don’t
shake her hands.
JAMES: (voiced over) But why?
HOLY SPIRIT: (voiced over) Because you
will get lust when you shake her hands. You get lust when you touch a female
especially through handshakes and you are yet to deal with it with serous
prayer. It’s written in Matthew 5 verse 30, “and if your right hand will make
you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It’s better to lose one part of
your body than for your whole body to be cast into hell.
EVIL SPIRIT: (voiced over) James,
you have outgrown this for a very long time. You can shake her hands and
nothing will happen. It’s written in Isaiah 43 verse 2, “when you go through
deep water, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers they will
not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the
flame will not set you ablaze.” James, do it… shake her hands. Nothing will happen!
If you don’t shake her, you are not
showing her love. And the love you refuse to show her now, her sinful friends
will shower her with much of it tomorrow and she will be tempted to compromise
her Christian faith and all your effort in winning her for Christ will be shattered.
Have you not read in Matthew 18 verse 6? It said, “If anyone cause any of these
little one - those who believe in me-to stumble it would be better for them to
have a large millstone hung around their neck and be drowned in the depth of
the sea.” Be warned!
JANES: (Break the silence with a mellifluous
voice) Please just for
this once. There is nothing wrong with it.
JAMES: (Inhale deeply) alright. (He
stretches out his hand and holds hers)
Are you satisfied now?
JANES: Yes, thank you. Bye.
She leaves; JAMES stands in sixes and
seven, shakes his head and eventually leaves the stage.
Light Fades to Blackout
Act Two Scene 2
At JAMES’ home. It’s dark in the stage.
JAMES comes in with a lamp in his hand to see his way clearly. His phone
suddenly rings.
JAMES: (looks round to be sure no one is
in sight, he picked the call and spoke in a subdued tone) hello, why are you
calling me at this time of the night?.... okay. How are you doing? … yes, I
know… don’t mention that, Jane… I don’t have to say I love you for you to know
I do. It’s God’s commandment to love one another, you know…
Suddenly his Father comes in.
JAMES: (Pretending) Yes, God is in
control. It’s well. Good night. Bless you.
FATHER: You should be sleeping now. Who
are you speaking with on phone?
JAMES: (stuttering as he thought of a
lie to tell his father) Elm... Actually, it’s one of my colleagues in school.
He said he needs my advice on something that is bothering her…sorry, his mind.
That is all, daddy.
FATHER: That’s alright. I just came to
check you and be sure you are asleep. You told me that you have a text to write
tomorrow. You need to sleep well so you can write well tomorrow.
JAMES: That’s true daddy. I’m sorry
daddy.
FATHER: There’s nothing to sorry about
James. You can go to bed now but remember to offer some prayers to God.
JAMES: Of course, I will. Thanks daddy.
FAHER: That’s my boy. Sweet dreams.
JAMES: and you too, daddy.
Light gradually fades on JAMES as he feel
so remorseful as soon as his father leaves. He falls on his knees and begins to
pray, asking for forgiveness.
