TASHA: 27 years old, dates wrong men that abuse her
SISTER THOMAS: 42 years old Church Lady with family problems
LADONNA: 35 years old, frustrated wife to Pierre
PIERRE: 37 years old, cheater & husband to LaDonna
ALEJANDRO: 25 years old, former model, dated Pierre
GIA: 17 year old girl, former school bully, befriends Alejandro
JEANINE: 65 years old, retired, mother of Linda
LINDA: 35 years old, wife & mother with cancer
OLIVIA: 42 years old, lively & vivacious local politician
RON: 45 year old man, absent from the Lord but returns
3 RANDOMS: Various ages, come to briefly speak to Jesus
NEW MAN: 28 years old, Tasha’s new man abuses her
Place: The Lord’s Table
Time: Autumn
Scene 1
Setting: A long, 20 place table is in the center of the stage. It is decorated beautifully for the Lord’s supper. The chairs are ornate and the table is filled with fruit. That is fruits of the Spirits. Grapes, both white and red, for grace and mercy. Strawberries for love. All kinds of apples for kindness, gentleness and meekness.
At Rise: Jesus is seated at the head of the table (stage left) dressed in a white robe with sandals and long wavy hair. He is explaining to the ladies at the table, seated in middle facing audience, about the place called Lo Debar . Lo Debar is from 2nd Samuel 9:1-13 when King David gave Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, Saul’s grandson, a place at the King’s table. Lo Debar in the Bible is recognized as a place of nothing. A dry, barren land with no grass for pastures or substance. We sometimes are spiritually, mentally, and physically stuck in Lo Debar due to sin, bitterness, unforgiveness, pride, lust, bad choices & decisions, and uncontrollable circumstances.
When God pulls you out of a dry, fruitless place like Lo Debar, you should thank and praise God for deliverance, tell someone your testimony, and never go back for anything or anyone.
God has invited us to His table through accepting His Son, Jesus the Christ, as our Lord and personal Savior.
JESUS (Interrupted by rumbling. Gossip ladies look startled.): Tasha, what’s wrong? What happened to your face?
(TASHA enters stage right with a beaten, bruised, and bloodied face.)
JESUS (Pulling TASHA to him. Giving TASHA a seat at the table.): What happened to You? Tell me now.
TASHA (crying.): He beat me!! He beat me up again!!
JESUS: Again?!? Didn’t I tell you to leave him? To get out of that relationship? To never go back?
TASHA: I was afraid. He said he’d kill me. What did you want me to do? Just run? To leave my home? To leave all of my stuff behind?
JESUS: I wanted you to trust me. I had people, my people, the right people, in line to help you. So this time, I need you to really trust me. You must not go back. Not for anything. I have a place prepared for you. A place of safety. It was prepared back then. But you must never get married instead I want you to live a quiet, single life, filled with Christian missions.
TASHA: What?? Never marry, never date? A life alone? But why?
(Enters CHURCH LADY, right)
SISTER THOMAS: Lord, I really need to speak with you!!
Jesus (Looking up to SISTER THOMAS then back down to TASHA): Wait Sister Thomas!
SISTER THOMAS: Lord, this is an emergency too!!! I really need to talk.
JESUS: Tasha, trust me…… Don’t you love….. me? You are my Father’s and He knows you. You are attracted to men not good for you. So, I would have you focus totally on serving me and working for me.
SISTER THOMAS: Um hum.
(JESUS looking at SISTER THOMAS without saying anything then back down at TASHA. GOSSIP LADIES shake their heads “yes”.)
TASHA: Okay Lord. I will trust you. I will not go back. And, it may be hard living the rest of my life as a single woman but I will trust you.
JESUS: It is well. Now go in Peace.
(TASHA takes a seat at the table with the other ladies.)
JESUS (Reaching for SISTER THOMAS, giving her a seat.): Now Sister THOMAS, what is it?
SISTER THOMAS: It’s my family again. The oldest son is running with the wrong crowd. Again! My youngest son is sick and may need another transplant. Again! My daughter is seeing that guy, again, that we do not like and may be pregnant, again, and my husband may be laid off, again!!
JESUS: And you need me for what?
SISTER THOMAS: For what!?! To fix all of this. To fix this mess With my family.
JESUS (Speaking as irritated, but with authority): It’s already fixed. You just have to see it through. Now go and be faithful.
(JESUS sighing. About to talk with GOSSIP LADIES.)
SISTER THOMAS: Fixed? Go? Be faithful? Hold on. What do you mean? Are you forgetting who “you” are talking to? I’m not one of these no good, do nothing sinners.
(LOOKING TOWARD LADIES AT TABLE)
SISTER THOMAS: I practically live in the church working endless to build “your” kingdom. What do you mean be faithful? I have been! So I need you to fix this mess in my life and fix it now!!
LADONNA: Lord! Lord! Things are not working again. How long this time?
(LADONNA runs up to JESUS, right, with PIERRE following.)
(SISTER THOMAS sighs, throwing up hands. Exit right.)
LADONNA: I’m being cheated on again. Stressed out at work. Disrespected by everyone I come in contact with, from people at church, to the store, to the road and restaurants, and even my kids’ school.
LADONNA (Cont.): I been going through this storm for a few years now and I don’t know how much more I can take. What is all this for?
JESUS: Go through your struggles. Go through your tribulations. I will get back to you. I’m busy with others. Just hold on a little while longer LaDonna. The trials are present to make you strong. To ready you, give you faith and character. When the time is right, I will bring you out but for now, continue in my Father’s Word and stay under my wings of protection.
LADONNA: What? Continue dealing with Pierre going to his wild fraternity parties, hanging at the clubs, drinking beer all times of the day, weed smoke in the air even on Sundays. He smokes all day on Sundays!!! House filled with smoke.
PIERRE (laughs): Hey!!!! That’s holy smoke for the Lord on Sundays.
LADONNA: See! Pierre is not serious about anything. And I know he’s cheating with, Little Miss Super Model, Alejandro.
PIERRE (Laughing, shaking his head and waving his hands ‘no’): What? Alejandro? Nooooo. You just paranoid. We just work together. That’s all.
JESUS: You two please! Can’t you all work this out? You don’t need my help. You know what to do.
(Enter right, ALEJANDRO and GIA)
LADONNA (Looking at ALEJANDRO): Speaking of the devil and I do mean the devil.
PIERRE (smiling): Oh, hey Alejandro. Really nice to see you.
(LADONNA throwing hands up and sighing in disgust.)
JESUS: You two move.
(Motioning for LADONNA and PIERRE to go. They both have sit at front of table.)
JESUS (Hugging ALEJANDRO): How are you?
JESUS (Hugging GIA): Hi Gia!!
JESUS: What have you all been up to?
ALEJANDRO (Smiling and look toward PIERRE): Working hard to avoid all types of temptation. You know me!
GOSSIP LADIES: Woo!!!!
(LADONNA hitting PIERRE in the chest and then folding arms)
JESUS (Motioning to LADIES at table): Stool pigeons!! Hush!!
ALEJANDRO: Working in the fashion industry is hard. There’s all types of drugs, parties, drinking, eating disorders but…. I’ve been good. I go to church quite often. I’ve found positive and trustworthy friends and I even have a new, really nice boyfriend.
PIERRE (shocked): What!!!
ALEJANDRO: I even met Gia at church and I’m helping her with school.
JESUS: Wow!!! Good Alejandro.
JESUS (JESUS taking both of GIA’S hands): And what has my busy little bee, Gia, been doing? Are you still getting into fights with the other girls at school? Are you still known as the mean girl? Picking at everyone? Giving all the other girls a hard time?
GIA: No-o-o-o!!! As a matter of fact, I’m cool with everyone now. I’m the most popular and best liked girl in school. Changed my ways Lord. Changed my ways.
JESUS: What!?!
GIA: Yea! See even Jesus can’t believe it. I started an after-school program where all of the girls can just hang out and play board games, support each other, and get to know each other. I invited Alejandro to stop by and chat with us about fashion and loving your body and stuff like that and she’s been coming by ever since.
JESUS: What!?! You!?! Little Miss Bully!?! Getting along and being nice to the other girls? Wow! Amazing to hear!
(JESUS and GIA laugh)
GIA; Yeah. Yeah. I know. But I was talking with Alejandro after church and she came up with the idea. She told me about how she had a hard time when she was in high school getting called skinny, giraffe, slut…..
LADONNA: Cause she is a slut!
JESUS: LaDonna, no!!
JESUS: Wow! This is wonderful. Now this is what I’m talking about. You two have a seat at my table. Both of you were in a dark place for so long so it’s good to see you all now being positive and productive. Here, sit with my stool pigeons. Maybe your work ethic and desire to actually do something to promote love and kindness will rub off on them.
(JESUS pointing for them to sit on on the right of GOSSIP LADIES.)
GOSSIP LADY JENNIFER (laughing): Oh no. I doubt it.
GOSSIP LADY AUDRA: No church-work for me.
GOSSIP LADY DEE DEE: I’m doing good just to come.
(ALEJANDRO & GIA sit to right of table on other side)
LADONNA: What!?! You blessed her with a nice man, you give ‘her’ rest at your table while I’m stuck dealing this dog?
JESUS (sarcastic): You married him!
LADONNA: I have emptiness and hardship that I don’t understand. She cheated with my husband. An adulteress. A vain model without a care in the world while doing drugs and you give her a seat!!! Wow!!! I don’t understand.
JESUS: Yes, she was out there for years but she has changed her ways. She has love in her heart, not bitterness and unforgiveness like you. She turned from her ways. Repented of her sins.
(TASHA gets up, walks toward right. JESUS jumps up suddenly, looking toward TASHA. TASHA looks preoccupied with something she sees, smiling.)
JESUS (emphasis): Wait!! Tasha!?! Where are you going?
GOSSIP LADIES (sarcastic): There she goes Lord. We knew it. We knew it wouldn’t be long. She sees a man-n-n-n-n!
(LADIES giggling)
JESUS: He look familiar but he’s not one of mines so stay at the table Tasha. You’re doing great works at the church and abroad. Stay! Please!
TASHA: No way! This man looks too good. Nice clothes. Suit and tie. Teaches Sunday school, drives a sleek BMW. Forget that. I’m not missing out on him. Don’t worry Lord. I picked a good one this time. I got this. I gone.
(TASHA motions bye to JESUS)
(TASHA exits right)
LADONNA (fussing) (JESUS staring toward end): So, I’m faithful to a man who likes to party and cheat and Alejandro gets a nice man.
JESUS (defensive, frustrated toward LADONNA): My dear, it rains on the just and unjust. Alejandro came out of a place of nothing – no grass, no fruit, no goodness – nothing. Lo Debar!!! She came out, by my grace, and she never went back to drugs, adultery – she even joined the church and got baptized. Heaven rejoiced for this one lost sheep. And yes, I blessed her with a nice man because she is nice, full of love, and her past is behind her.
JESUS (angry): Now you and Pierre …. Go!! Do the work, if you choose, and come out of Lo Debar yourselves!
LADONNA (crying): I read the Bible, I’m at church all the time — every Sunday and even Wednesdays. She’s an adulteress and now she has a wonderful life, and I’m stuck with this cheating, bull-headed now unemployed man who can’t stay faithful or even pass a drug test at work.
JESUS: Didn’t I just cover this with Sister Tripp. Since you’re at church so much then you should be equipped to handle this. See LaDonna, the problem is that your religious but not righteous. Your full of grudges and not grace. I’m expecting you to lead people to me through kindness, meekness, gentleness, and love.
LADONNA: What??
JESUS: Yes, I intended for all those mean spirited people to cross your path so that they could see Me within you. So that when they wronged you, you would love and forgive them anyway. That’s your purpose. Not to curse and be mean back to them. To give them the bread of love, grace, and patience in exchange for all their rocks and stones they throw at you.
You two….. Just go!!! I need to pray and meditate. Even I get weary.
(LADONNA and PIERRE exit right)
(JESUS steps into the garden, exit left, to be alone and pray for strength.)
BLACKOUT
SCENE 2
Setting: Lord’s table in the late afternoon.
At rise: Jennifer, Audra, Dee Dee seated in middle of table facing audience. Alejandro and Gia seated in middle with backs toward audience. Jesus stage left in garden, praying.
GOSSIP LADIES: See all these other people just wear Jesus out. Complain. Complain. Complain. Go to church all the time and then leave and complain.
(JEANINE and Linda enters stage right)
JEANINE: Hey y’all. Where’s the Lord?
LADIES: He’s in the garden praying. Everyone is getting on his nerves. What’s wrong with y’all?
JEANINE: My oldest daughter here has cancer. Doctor says it’s terminal. They said she has about a year to live but she’s only 35.
LADIES (sad): Oh no. We’re so sorry. Sorry to hear that.
(JESUS walks in looking refreshed)
JESUS: Jeanine! Linda! What are you two doing here?
JEANINE: Lord, what’s going on in my life. All I do is lead a Christian life but it’s always one thing after another. I’ve worked a 9-5 day after day for 45 years, stayed married to the same man for decades, and I’m nice to all people, ya know?? Just a basic life but it’s always something. As soon as I get over one hump it’s another and then another. I thought I would retire and enjoy but my husband has Alzheimer so I’m his caregiver now. My son is in the wind, on drugs, so I have custody of his kids, and now my daughter is diagnosed with terminal cancer. I can’t travel and enjoy retirement like I planned after all of these years. What’s going on??
LINDA (sobbing): Please Lord. Please. I don’t want to die I have kids!!!
LINDA (kneeling): Please Lord. Is there anything? Anything? That I can do?? Fix it. Heal it. I have a husband. Three young girls. Please.
JESUS (Lifting LINDA by the hands): Linda. This! This is not mines to give but my Father’s which art in Heaven. It’s His will. He has a plan for your life and that of your family’s. Cured? No. But just as Hezekiah was giving more time, my God will be gracious with you. He has granted you a few more years, more time, to prepare your family for the road ahead. Go in peace and prepare you way.
LINDA (crying): Oh Lord, oh my God. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. But I will keep praying!!!
(JEANINE and LINDA wave goodbye, exit right)
RON (enters right, waving): Hey Lord — hi!!
JESUS (puzzled): Who are you?
RON: It’s me Ron. I know you haven’t seen me in a while but I really need something.
JESUS: Oh, hi Ron. I almost forgot about you. I haven’t seen you in a long time. Oh no, and now you show up because you need something? Hold on. Why don’t you sit with the other ladies? I need to pray on you coming back, and to go into the garden and pray to my Father.
(RON takes the first seat closest to JESUS. JESUS looks at him as if to say ‘what’ and then motions for him to move down. RON gets up and moves to the middle but again JESUS looks and points to the end. RON gets up like ‘oh yea, that’s right’ and moves down to seat a head right – humorously.)
JESUS: Remember the Bible says that when you are invited to the table, to not be an ambitious guest but rather you should take the lowest seat and be waited to get invited to the head. Why take the first seat and then get embarrassed when asked to move?
RON: Oh yea, that’s right. I forgot about that parable.
JESUS (mimic): Oh yea, that’s right…….you don’t go to church that often. Or read the Bible and rarely pray unless you need something. But I still love you. Sit pass my sisters who don’t use their talents for work.
LADIES: We work!!
JESUS: I meant at the church but you all are too busy with your wonderful lives.
RON (joking): I may like it down here. No work yet peace and lots of blessings. Sounds right up my alley.
(RON goes to eat fruit, drops after biting)
LADIES, ALEJANDRO, GIA (humor): It’s not real fruit. No one went to buy real fruit so the table is set with fake fruit.
JESUS: Correct. Maybe if you all paid your tithes instead of shopping and going on all those vacations — there would be real fruit at my table. So much that the storehouse would overflow. But no money so deal with the fake fruit. Now let me go in the garden and pray for Olivia, one of our other sisters, she has come to my mind.
(JESUS exits left. Ladies at table engage in quiet conversation with RON about needing to go to church more. JESUS returns shortly thereafter.)
(3 RANDOM PEOPLE enter right.)
RANDOMS (waving): Hi Lord!!! Hi Y’all!! Hi!!!
JESUS (frustrated): What!?! What!?! What!?! What’s you all problem. What’s your issue with life?
RANDOMS: We don’t want anything. Just to say ‘Hi’ and most importantly thank you.
JESUS (Surprised with humor): What!?!
RANDOM 1: Yeah. We all have issues – I lost my job but I’m blessed because the bank lowered my loan payment. So when I got a new job I have extra money to help my moms. So thanks!
RANDOM 2: My husband lost his job too but now he has more time to exercise, eat right, and rest to finally manage his diabetes before it’s too late. So thank you. My prayers for his health are being answered.
RANDOM 3: Yeah! I’m going through a painful divorce but I have made wonderful friends from my church counseling sessions. We are even planning a group cruise. Thanks!!!
RANDOMS (altogether): Yeah. So we just wanted to stop by and say thanks.
JESUS: Wow. Well this maybe a first. You all are more than welcome and thank you all for keeping the faith!!
RANDOMS (Waving bye, exit right): Bye y’all.
OLIVIA (Enters right, smiling, waving vigorously): Hi Lord. Hi Ladies and gentleman. It’s me Olivia.
JESUS: Oh hi Olivia. I’m glad you stopped by because we really need to talk. Did you ever follow up with your doctors after recent annual visit?
OLIVIA: Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They said the results were inconclusive and I keep missing their calls. I’ll get around to it. You know I’ve been really busy since I was elected as one of the youngest mayors ever in the city. You know everybody wants something and I’m trying to keep my campaign promises. Plus, I’m a newlywed so I never have much time for myself anymore.
(Waving off JESUS’ questions)
JESUS (Gently taking Olivia hands and sitting her down): Listen, I know you have so, so many wonderful future plans but I have something that I must tell you.
OLIVIA (smiling): God yes. So many plans. We just got funding for the new community center. The high school band will get new uniforms. Next week, I have to speak at the dedication of the new fire station. Plus, I never had my honeymoon because I was campaigning so hard but Jason is wonderful and he understood how important it was for me to step up from city council to the mayor’s office.
JESUS (concerned):Olivia listen. We must talk and talk now!!
OLIVIA (grinning): Okay Lord, but why so serious. Aren’t you happy for me? I’m so grateful for all of these blessings. What’s wrong?
JESUS: Olivia, the doctors have been trying to reach you because they discovered an abnormal, congenital heart defect. It’s not good. As a matter of fact, when you go to sleep tonight you won’t wake up.
OLIVIA (confused): Won’t wake up? What are you talking about? Won’t wake up? You mean ever?
JESUS (Holding her hand, looking direct, patient): Olivia. Listen. I know this is going to be scary but I’m with you. Olivia, you’re going to die tonight. In your sleep…..
(OLIVIA staring off and beginning to pant slowly)
JESUS: The heart defect has been there for years. It just has gone undetected.
OLIVIA (stuttering): Well isn’t there something that I can do? I will go call the doctors right now.
(JESUS shaking his head “no”)
OLIVIA (leaping up): What? Hold on! I can’t believe this. I’m in my 40’s and have done great works for the people of my community and I did them unselfishly. Not for votes like other politicians but because I genuinely care. I go & read to the kids and love every minute of it. I make sure that all of the high school athletes have all the equipment and gear that they need. I increased the number of garbage pick ups per week to keep our city clean and I even stopped to help Ms. Harper pulls her trash cans down and she said bad things about me when I was running for mayor.
JESUS (standing): This has nothing to do with that. It’s just your time. Yours came sooner that others but it’s just your time. Does not my Father’s say that life is like a vapor, a flower, grass and that it is here for a short while and then gone?
OLIVIA (hysterical): But, but, but. No!! Why me Lord? Hold on. This is crazy. You’re telling me I going to die tonight! Like tonight! I’m not going to wake up!
JESUS: Your heart will stop beating. Olivia, you will go into heart failure around 2 a.m. Cardiac arrest will kill you! I’m sorry. The city and all the people will mourn. Jason, your devoted new husband will be deeply sad. You are indeed loved by everyone but My Father loves your more!
OLIVIA: No Lord. No. I don’t understand. Give me more time please. I will go to the doctor. Give me more time. You just gave Linda, Jeanine’s daughter, several more years. Why not me? Please Lord, fix it. Please.
JESUS: God will not grant you more time. But it will be okay. Those you leave behind will be comforted. My Father gives a comfort that surpasses all understanding. Now go. It okay for you to mourn the life you are about to leave. But remember you are greatly loved for your sincere heart by people on Earth and in Heaven.
OLIVIA (exiting right): Yes. But I don’t understand. Pray hard for me Lord. Please and please let this pass from me, if possible. I have to go. This is just devastating.
BLACKOUT
Scene 3
Setting: Sun is setting. Climax.
At Rise: 3 GOSSIP LADIES, ALEJANDRO, GIA, RON at table while Jesus engages in scripture reading and prayer.
LADONNA (Enters stage right, frantically, with Pierre behind her): Where’s Jesus? I need to talk to Him. Oh, there you are. Are you busy?
JESUS (Looking up and at LADONNA like “what now”): I’m trying to pray. What is it now?
LADONNA” If you don’t do something with him, Pierre, I’m going to kill him or cheat back!!
Jesus: Yeah and you may go to jail or another man may just strangle you or give you a disease.
SISTER THOMAS (Enters right, walking briskly, worried): I’m so tired of seeing LaDonna and Pierre every time I’m here. What y’all for now? Naw, don’t answer that because I don’t really care. Anyway Lord, that’s it with this mess in my life – your fault – you should have handled this but you didn’t so I went and got my hooligan family to deal with the people after my son and now those people are threaten us. So I really need your protection for real this time.
JESUS (Shaking his head): What!?!
(Loud rumble. TASHA runs in really beaten up. NEW MAN enters right, catches TASHA, slaps her. TASHA reaches out for JESUS but NEW MAN catches her and pulls her back. ALL looked startled.)
NEW MAN (mean): Oh no – you thought you had her Lord. Naw! She with me now and she ain’t going to never leave me!!!
( In anger, NEW MAN chokes TASHA to death while all look on, drops her on floor, in front of table.)
NEW MAN (brash): Jesus, you really thought Tasha would stay unmarried or without a man in her life. Naw! As soon as she saw me she was in love – thought I was a good man ‘cause I go to church and stuff like that. I care nothing about you or your church. It just makes me look good – I get a lot of your “good” church women like that. But see Tasha – oh I had her but she was strong – so I beat that right out of her. I beat her down good. Guess she should have listened to you – but too late. She tried to leave but look what I did to her — choked her right on into heaven. Now you can have her back. I told her to never try to leave me.
(All stare in shock. NEW MAN kicks dead body, huffs at JESUS, then exit right. RON picks her up and JESUS motions for him to put her in the Garden. RON exits left.)
JESUS (exhausted): You all go!! Sister Thomas, go and fix your family starting with yourself first. Pierre, your time may be cut short if you don’t do right. LaDonna, I know times are hard and I know you are truly sweet ang have a good heart so work to love everybody, and be kind anyway. It’s not about you and all these people but rather you and God. Ladies, my sweet little stool pigeons, do some work, okay??? Join a ministry and use your talents in the church to help build my kingdom. Now all of you go!! I must go and pray for strength to deal with all of you.
What’s Up Beautiful? 
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