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God at Work Written By Steve Marshall (A four person sketch set in an office. Penny Burgman sits behind her desk looking at a computer screen and typing on a keyboard. On the desk are a telephone, a pitcher, a coffee cup, and an in-out tray with a stack of papers in it. In front of the desk are 2 chairs. Penny is softly humming a praise and worship song as Mr. Johnson comes in.) PENNY: (In a happy and cheery voice) Good morning, Mr. Johnson. How are you this beautiful day? MR. JOHNSON: (with a blank expression on his face) Miss Burgman, I am afraid I have some bad news for you. I have received word to inform you that your services will no longer be needed here. You are to turn in your badge and anything else belonging to the company. PENNY: (in shock) No longer needed? You’re joking, right? MR. JOHNSON: I do not joke. Miss Burgman. PENNY: But why? Is there something wrong with my work? I know I’ve made some mistakes, but I’m still new to this job. If you will give me a little more time, I’m sure I’ll get the hang of it. MR. JOHNSON: No, there is nothing wrong with your work. In fact you have done a better job then we thought you would. No one expected you to catch on so quickly. PENNY: Is it because of the time off I took last week? I didn’t want to miss any work, but I was really sick and the medicine my doctor prescribed made me too sleepy to come in. MR. JOHNSON: No, your dismissal has nothing to do with the time you were out last week. You have one of the best attendance records in the company. PENNY: Then is it because I spent too much time talking. That’s it isn't it? You're right. That is a waste of company time. If you give me a second chance, I promise I won’t talk about anything that’s not work related. MR. JOHNSON: Miss Burgman, if termination was the penalty for talking too much, then we would not have a single employee. PENNY: Then why? MR. JOHNSON: One of the executives saw you praying at your desk the other day. Company policy is very clear about not allowing any religious activity at the office. PENNY: Praying at my desk? You can’t consider that a “religious activity”. MR. JOHNSON: It is and we do. PENNY: But I wasn’t disturbing anybody, and I only pray first thing in the morning and at lunch. I wasn’t doing anything to draw attention to myself. MR. JOHNSON: Apparently your prayers are more disturbing then you thought. PENNY: So what am I supposed to do? Change my behavior because some eavesdropping busy-body doesn’t like my beliefs? MR. JOHNSON: You are to obey the decision made by you superiors regardless of your beliefs. That is what you are supposed to do. PENNY: But this is America and you can’t tell me to leave my Christianity at the door because some big-shot decides he doesn’t want religious activities going on at the office! MR. JOHNSON: This is a business with rules and if you can’t obey the rules then you must be prepared to face the consequences. Now, please hand me your badge! (Penny takes off her badge and throws it on the desk. Mr. Johnson picks up the badge.) MR. JOHNSON: Thank you. (He walks out of Penny’s office.) PENNY: Great. This is just fabulous! (Bob comes in to talk to her.) BOB: Hey Penny what was all that yelling about? PENNY: I was just fired. BOB: You’re joking, right? PENNY: That’s what I said and Mr. Johnson told me “I don’t joke”. BOB: That sounds like old "stone-faced" Johnson. But why where you fired? PENNY: For praying at my desk. Someone considers praying a “religious activity” and a violation of company policy. BOB: That is ridiculous! They can’t do that! PENNY: Well, they did. BOB: You know what you should do? You should call a lawyer. I’ll bet you could sue... maybe get some money out of it. PENNY: Oh, I don’t know. It’s too soon to make a decision. I’ll have to pray about it. BOB: That’s what got you in this mess in the first place. PENNY: That is not funny! BOB: I’m sorry. Hey, I will tell you what I’ll do. I’m going to start a petition against you being fired. We’ll show those guys up top that they can’t treat us like that! PENNY: Thanks, Bob. I know you mean well, but it won’t help if you go off half cocked. BOB: Don’t worry. I know what I’m doing. (Bob leaves.) PENNY: Lord, I have heard of things like this happening, but I never thought it would happen to me…not for praying anyway. This is ridiculous! I work hard. I do everything I’m asked... work late...on weekends...and they pay me back by firing me...for praying to you! Lord, what happened to “I will give you favor in their eyes.” and “I will poor my blessings out on you” stuff! I can’t afford to be unemployed. My car payment is already late! So why God, why are you letting Satan take my job away from me? Have I done something wrong... some sin I haven’t repented of that you’re punishing me for, or is it that you just don’t care? (She stops and takes a breath) God, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said that...I don’t mean it. It’s just that I’m scared...I don’t know what’s going to happen. Lord, I know all things work for good to those who believe. Please forgive me for doubting you. I will trust you to guide me. (Barbara comes in.) BARBARA: Oh, Penny I’m so sorry. Bob just told me what happened. Is there anything I can do to help? PENNY: No, Barbara. Not right now, but thank you for asking. BARBARA: You sure are handling this well. I’d be a nervous wreck. PENNY: To tell you the truth. I was really upset, but than I remembered that Daniel was thrown into a Lion’s den for the same thing. BARBARA: What! PENNY: You never heard the story of “Daniel and the Lions' Den”? How Daniel was put in a den of hungry lions for praying to God? It’s in the Bible. BARBARA: Why, no. I haven’t read the Bible. What happen? PENNY: Daniel stayed in the lions' den all night but God closed the lions' mouths and saved his life. That’s just one of great miracles that God has done. The greatest miracle of all is Jesus, who died on the cross for our sins. BARBARA: Well, of course I’ve known about Jesus, but I don’t understand all that salvation stuff. PENNY: I can tell you about it, if you’re interested? BARBARA: O.K. We can go to lunch and you can explain it to me. I’ll even treat. PENNY: Thank you that would be great. Just let me get my things it will only take a second. BARBARA: I’ll go get my purse and meet you at the door. (Barbara walks off. Penny picks up the pitcher and coffee cup and starts to walk off. She stops, looks up and smiles.) PENNY: Thank you for guiding me, Lord. (back to the scripts page)