Cast: Narrator, Cindy, Elizabeth, Holy Spirit, Demon, Satan

Narrator: “Once upon a time, there was a young girl named Cindy. Because her parents loved God, they brought her to church, and encouraged her to go to Sunday School and to AWANA. As Cindy got older, she began to hear about God, and how much He loved her. But there was a problem: Cindy really liked to sin.”

Cindy: [Walks onstage.] “It’s true. I like to tell my parents lies, to get extra privileges, to get out of trouble, and sometimes, just because I like fooling them.”

[Demon comes on stage with ropes and weights, comes up behind Cindy.]

Narrator: “And so, when her Mom asked her if she did all her homework, she lied about it. [Hang rope with weight around Cindy’s neck.] And when her Dad asked her if she had put her bike away in the shed, she lied about it. [Hang another rope around Cindy’s neck.] And when her brother asked her if she had eaten his slice of cake, she lied about it.” [Hang another rope around Cindy.]

Cindy: “Well, I knew if I told the truth, I would have to do my homework instead of watching TV. And my Dad would’ve made me go out in the dark to put away my bike – but I’m afraid of the dark. And the cake was so tasty – I would’ve been punished if my parents knew I ate my brother’s cake.”

Narrator: “But each time Cindy sinned, it became more and more her master. Because she lied about doing her homework, then she had to lie about why she got a bad grade on the next test. Because she lied about putting away her bike, she had to lie about who left it there. She discovered that one lie needed two more to keep it company, and pretty soon, she was lying even when she wanted to tell the truth.” [Demon drags Cindy around the stage, hanging more weights on her.]

Cindy: “I feel so tired, and guilty. I don’t seem to be able to enjoy myself anymore – I’m very sad about all these lies. I don’t seem to have power or energy to do any good things, either – I just keep lying and stealing and being bad, even when I want to be good! Who can save me from this terrible guilt?”

Narrator: “One day at AWANA, there was a skit about a Happy Little Stoplight, and the Holy Spirit of God helped Cindy to understand that Jesus had died to take the punishment for her sin, and that He wanted to save her from going to Hell forever. She prayed and asked Jesus to come into her heart, and for God to adopt her into His family.” [Holy Spirit comes, shoves Demon away, and takes Cindy by the hand, walks her over to the cross, helping with the weights.]

Cindy: [Kneels down by the cross.] “Dear God, I know I have sinned many times. I have lied, and stolen things, and cheated at school, and disobeyed my parents. Please forgive me for my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that He rose again. Please come into my heart and make me one of your children.”

Holy Spirit: [Holy Spirit hugs Cindy.] “Welcome to the family of God, Cindy! I’m the Holy Spirit, and I will live in your heart to help you to be free from sin. Let’s get these guilty weights off you!” [Holy Spirit takes the weights off Cindy.]

Cindy: “Oh, I feel so free, and cheerful! I can run, and jump, now that I’m free of those guilty weights! [Jumps in place a few times.] What would you like me to do?”

Holy Spirit: “Well, the first thing we should do is tell other people. How ‘bout we tell your parents, and your brother?”

Cindy: “Sounds great!” [Cindy runs off-stage.]

Narrator: “So Cindy ran to tell her brother and her parents about her decision to become one of God’s children. They were very excited for her, and made an ice cream cake to celebrate. The next day at school, Cindy told her best friend about it, and invited her to AWANA.”

[Elizabeth and Cindy come on stage, walking together.]

Elizabeth: “So, Cindy, what are you doing this evening?”

Cindy: “Tonight, I’m going to AWANA. It’s a program for kids at our church.”

Elizabeth: [Sarcastically.] “AWANA, as in, I-WANNA-GO-HOME?”

Cindy: “No, nothing like that. We memorize Bible verses, play games, and sometimes there are skits. It is a lot of fun.”

Elizabeth: “Memorizing verses sounds like school work. How can that be fun?”

Cindy: “Well, sometimes it is a little hard, but we have great leaders who help us, and when we finish a bunch of sections in our books, we get some pretty cool prizes. Just last week I got a very nice T-shirt. Would you like to come with me, tonight?”

Elizabeth: “Um, no, I think I’ll watch TV instead. Thanks anyway.” [Elizabeth walks off.]

Narrator: “Cindy was a little discouraged, but she felt so cheerful about being free of the weight of guilt, that she didn’t really mind. That night, she and her Mom made a meal for one of the widows at her church.”

Cindy: [Walks to the front of the stage.] “It is such fun to show God’s love to other people. Now that I’m free of the guilt of my sin, I feel like I can do anything!”

Narrator: “And she did. On Saturday, she went with her Dad to rake leaves for a family that had lost their son in the war. On Sunday, she served in the Nursery at her church. “

[Cindy goes to one corner of stage to use a rake, and then to another part of the stage, where she pretends to change a diaper on a baby.]

“Day after day, Cindy found ways to show God’s love to the people around her, through kind deeds and words. But then, the Enemy noticed her.”

[Satan and one of his demons comes on stage.]

Demon: “Have you noticed that girl, Cindy? She used to be on our side, but somehow He got to her. Now she’s running around, doing good deeds for Him, and showing people how much He loves them.”

Satan: “Yes, it makes me so angry. She used to be such a champion liar, too. If we don’t do something, she’ll convince that Elizabeth girl to start going to AWANA. We need to trick her, and make her turn away from Him.”

Demon: “I’ve got an idea. Why don’t we tell her that Jesus freed her from sin so that she could sin even more, and get away with it? We’ve used that trick a thousand times before … “

Satan: “Yes, that one often works. Try that on Cindy.”

Narrator: “And so they did. An evil spirit whispered into Cindy’s mind that she should feel free to sin, now that she wasn’t going to hell. “

[Demon whispers into Cindy’s ear. Holy Spirit stands on other side of Cindy, shaking His head.]

Cindy: [Reacts to whisper.] “What? No, that can’t be right. Jesus died for my sins so that I would be free from the guilt and weight of that sin, and so that I could be free to show others about His love.” [Cindy turns back and forth between the Holy Spirit and the Demon, indecisively.]

Narrator: “But the demon kept whispering and tempting her to lie, and pretty soon, she told a small lie.”

Cindy: “It was just a small one, and, after all, my sins ARE forgiven.” [Demon puts weight around Cindy’s neck.]

Narrator: “And soon, Cindy was letting herself go back into being a slave of sin. She began to tell more lies, and started stealing candy from her brother, and money from her parents.” [Demon hangs more weights around Cindy’s neck, and begins to drag her away from the Holy Spirit. He then pushes her down, piles a few more weights on her, and goes to report to Satan.]

Demon: “Sir, that lie was successful. We now have Cindy back in our clutches – she won’t be doing any more good deeds to show His love to anyone. She’s so weighted down with her sin that she is useless to Him.”

Satan: “Evilly done, evilly done. As a reward, you may go back and watch her misery.”

Demon: “Oh, thank you, sir.” [He goes back to center stage, gets out a lawn chair, and settles in to watch Cindy.”

Narrator: “Poor Cindy was miserable. She felt as much a slave to sin as she ever had before, and she had no energy to do any good deeds. When her Mom asked her if she wanted to go visiting at the hospital, she lied and said she had too much homework. When her Dad asked her if she wanted to help him set up some chairs for a special service at church, she lied and said she needed to clean her room. On Wednesday, she told her mom she didn’t feel well, and stayed home from AWANA. This went on for several days.”

Cindy: “Oh, what can I do? I thought that when I prayed and asked Jesus to come into my heart, that I would never have to sin again, but now I am lying and stealing as much as ever before! Who can save me?”

Holy Spirit: [Comes up, shoves Demon’s chair over.] “Did someone call on me?” [Demon scrambles up, grabs the lawn chair and slinks offstage.]

Narrator: “Suddenly, a reference to a verse came into her mind, sent by the Holy Spirit.”

Holy Spirit: “1 Corinthians 10:13.”

Cindy: “1 Corininthians 10:13?”

Holy Spirit: “Yep. Look it up, if you can’t remember it.”

Cindy: [Gets her Bible out.] “OK.” [Reads] “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. “

Holy Spirit: “This means that since you are one of MY children, sin is no longer your master. You have the power to say ‘No’ to sin.”

Cindy: “I do? It doesn’t feel like it … “

Holy Spirit: “That’s because you have forgotten how to repent, and you’ve let a bunch of sin pile up on you. Don’t you remember 1 John 1:9?”

Cindy: “Yes, I think I do … ‘If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ‘”

Holy Spirit: “So, you see, Cindy – with me living in your heart, you ALREADY have all the power you need to resist sin – all you have to do is ask me for help, and keep confessing whenever you do sin.”

Cindy: “Really?”

Holy Spirit: “Yup. Trust me on this one.”

Cindy: “Well, OK. [Clears her throat.] I confess that I lied to my Mom about my homework, and to my Dad about needing to clean my room. I also lied about being sick last Wednesday. I’m sorry for all of these lies. Will you please forgive me, God?”

Holy Spirit: [Takes weights off Cindy.] “Yes, I will! There. You are forgiven, by the power of the blood of Jesus, who died for ALL your sins. You’ll also want to admit your lies to your Mom and Dad, and ask them to forgive you.”

Cindy: “Really? Aren’t I already forgiven?”

Holy Spirit: “Sure you are – and you are back in a good friendship with me. But your relationship with your Mom and Dad is broken. Don’t you think they know you lied?”

Cindy: “Well, maybe … but won’t they be disappointed in me, to know I’m such a liar, even after becoming a Christian?“

Holy Spirit: “If they are wise, they will already know that you are a liar – what they need to know is that you are a liar who knows how to REPENT.”

Cindy: “Well, OK. I don’t know why I argue with you. You always win.”

Holy Spirit: “Yes, but when I win, so do you. C’mon, let’s go find your parents.” [Both exit.]

Narrator: “Cindy was as good as her promise – that same day she admitted her lies to her Mom and Dad, and apologized to them. Sure enough, they already knew she had lied, and were delighted that she was willing to confess. She received only a light punishment, and the next day, she was very cheerful to be free of guilt.”

Cindy: [Coming back on stage with the Holy Spirit.] “Oh, what a GLORIOUS day! I feel so light on my feet, I could dance! Thank you, God, for helping me to be free of my sin! How can I please You today?”

Holy Spirit: “I thought you’d never ask. These past few days, while you’ve been wrapped up in your sin, I’ve wanted someone to tell Elizabeth about me. I couldn’t use you before, but now … “

Cindy: “Oh, boy, do you mean that Elizabeth is finally ready to hear about You?”

Holy Spirit: “Yes. The first thing I want you to do is to invite her to AWANA.”

Cindy: “That’s easy-peasy! But will she accept?”

Holy Spirit: “You don’t have to worry about that – just do what I ask you.”

Cindy: “But she already said ‘No’ last time I asked her – won’t she think I’m some kind of AWANA weirdo?”

Holy Spirit: “Well, aren’t you? Aren’t you MY AWANA weirdo?”

Cindy: [Slowly smiles.] “I guess I AM, now that you mention it. Oh, here comes Elizabeth, now!”

Elizabeth: “Hey, Cindy. You look cheerful. What’s going on?”

Cindy: “Oh, I am cheerful because I admitted some lies that I had told, and apologized for them. Thanks to God, now I am forgiven for those sins, and I don’t feel guilty anymore.”

Elizabeth: “Really? I feel guilty sometimes, but I don’t know any way to get free of it. I usually just ignore it until I get used to the guilty feeling. It stinks.”

Cindy: “Oh, I’ve tried that. It doesn’t work very well.”

Elizabeth: “So, where’d you learn about being forgiven? Is this one of those church things?”

Cindy: “Yep. We learned all about it at AWANA.”

Elizabeth: “Wow. Say, do you think I could come with you some time?”

Cindy: “I was just going to invite you! How ‘bout tomorrow? AWANA is on Wednesdays.”

Elizabeth: “Great. What time does it start, and where is your church?”

Cindy: “I’ll get my Mom to pick you up when we go – be ready at your house at 6:00 pm, sharp.”

Elizabeth: “Thank you, Cindy! I’ve got to get home – but I’ll see you tomorrow!” [Elizabeth runs offstage.]

Cindy: “Bye, Elizabeth. [Turns to Holy Spirit] How’d you DO that? I didn’t even get a chance to ask her – she asked first!”

Holy Spirit: “That is what happens when you keep yourself free from sin, so I can use you. Keep practicing that confession – you will see that you can go days and days without sinning, if you work at it.”

Cindy: “Oh, I do hope I can remember … “

Holy Spirit: “Stick close to me, and I’ll remind you … “ [They walk off together, arm in arm.]