Here’s a short skit that is an example of how to interpret creatively a Scripture passage to a group. Based on Romans 12:1—2, this skit should be memo

Person 1: I beg of you, Christian youth, because God is so merciful, present your body a living sacrifice-holy and acceptable to God. This is the reasonable way to serve him.
Person 2: Sacrifice! Sacrifice? When I think of sacrifice, I think of some pagan tribe in Africa. I see a live, wiggling body lying on a cold slab or rock. I see fire under the slab and the body burning as a sacrifice to an idol. You want me to be a sacrifice? Not me! I’m too young to die!

Person 1: Who said anything about dying? God wants you alive-a living sacrifice-that means to live for God, to serve and love him.

Person 2: Oh. That sounds a little better. (pause) But I don’t know. It sounds like I’d have to give up a lot. I mean I really enjoy living-doing the things I want to do. You know what I mean?

Person 1: Yes, I know what you mean. But being a living sacrifice means a change of mind-you no longer want to do what you want to do, instead you want to do what God wants you to do.

Person 2: Wanting to do what God wants me to do instead of wanting to do what I want to do? That sounds like a lot of double-talk. (pause) Besides, I already don’t really want to do what I want to do. Mostly I want to do what my friends want to do.

Person 1: Conformity?

Person 2: Huh?

Person 1: You are talking about conformity, aren’t you? Your mind is set on conforming to the world’s standards. Is that right?

Person 2: Yes, that’s right. Huh? I mean, no, that’s not right is it? I mean, it’s what I mean, but it’s not right.

Person 1: So you do know the difference?

Person 2: Of course. I am a Christian. I know the Bible says, “Be not conformed to this world.” But it’s very difficult not to be. You know what I mean?

Person 1: Sure. I have the same problem.

Person 2: You do?

Person 1: All Christians do. The pull of the world is very strong. Everything and everybody encourage us to conform. That is, everybody, but God who made us. He knows us so well that he knows conformity won’t bring us happiness in our Christian life. That’s why he tells us not to conform to the world but to be transformed.

Person 2: Transformed? That’s a fancy word for changed, isn’t it?

Person 1: Yes. God wants us to change and the only way we can change and become the living sacrifice he wants us to be is by putting our mind on him. When we look at God instead of at the world, our desire becomes to do the will of God.

Person 2: And the will of God is that we become living sacrifices?

Person 1: Say, you figure things out pretty fast.

Person 2: You know, when I think about it, it would be easier to become a dead sacrifice.

Person 1: How do you come up with that?

Person 2: Well, you’d only have to die one time and it would all be over. But this living sacrifice bit-it’s so . . . so . .

Person 1: Daily?

Person 2: You got it!

Person 1: But it’s the only sacrifice that is acceptable to God.

Person 2: I really want to offer an acceptable sacrifice.

Person 1: Then you’ll do it?

Person 2: Yes, I’ll live for God each day of my life. I’ll become a living sacrifice-no longer conformed to the world but transformed by putting my mind on God. After all, it’s the only reasonable way to serve him.

Person 1: And the only way to prove what is the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God.