Puppets: Manners

Manners

Mooster:  Hi Kids! How are you?  (Kids reply) Great!! I have a special surprise tonight!

Monkey Moe: (from behind the curtains)oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy (pokes head thru curtain) I just LOVE surprises! What is it? What is it? Did you buy me something? Is it a new Xbox with those cool new banana-shaped controls? Oh I’m so excited! I’ve been wanting one forever!!

Mooster: Moe I did not buy you a new computer game system. Besides, the MonkeyMan 2010 you just got for Christmas works just fine.

Monkey Moe:  But I win all the games already. I’m ready for a new challenge. Wait…you said you didn’t buy that for me? Well what did you buy me?

Mooster: Moe, I didn’t say I bought you anything. Don’t you know it’s rude to ask someone to buy you things? It’s not even your birthday or Christmas!

Monkey Moe: Well I always ask for things. Sometimes I’m lucky and I get what I’m asking for.

Mooster: It’s still rude. Didn’t your mom ever tell -

Monkey Moe: And, when I get what I want, then I’m very happy!

Mooster. You just did it again, Moe! You interrupted me while I was speaking. That’s rude, too! You need a lesson in manners.

Monkey Moe: Huh? Manners? I have manners. I open the door for ladies…if they’re pretty. And I say excuse me when I burp…if the pastor is around.  Oh, and I don’t cuss when I stub my toe! See, I have manners. Uh oh…gotta sneeze….ah ah ah ahchooooo!

Mooster: Cover your mouth when you sneeze! And there’s a lot more to having manners that what you said. I think my surprise will help you. I have a cousin visiting me today. Her name is Belle and she’s from a little tiny town called Owl Holler, which is located just south of Possum Kingdom.

Monkey Moe: Is she pretty? I’ll open the door for her. Say, what kind of name is Belle? Is she French?

Mooster: No.

Monkey Moe: Is it short for Isabella? That’s a pretty name.  

Mooster: No. Portabella.

Monkey Moe: As in…. mushrooms?

Mooster: Yes. I told you it was a small town! Anyway, let’s call her! Belle!

Monkey Moe: Belle!

Belle:  (I’m coming!) (bang some pots and pans around) (Ooopsie! It’s okay – nothing broke).

Mooster: Are you okay back there, Belle?

Belle: (Yes, I’m just having trouble finding my way to the window.) (pokes head out window) Here I am! Good as gold!

Monkey Moe: Oh wow – I can see the family resemblance. But I’ll still open the door. Hi Belle! I’m Monkey Moe.

Belle: How do you do, Moe.

Monkey Moe: How do I do what?

Mooster: It’s a polite way of greeting you, Moe. You should respond, “I’m very good, thank you, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”

Monkey Moe: But I’m not always good and I don’t know if it’s a pleasure or not yet.

Mooster: The point is that it’s polite! Belle, I was hoping you would help Moe with his manners while you are here. They’re deplorable!

Belle: I would be most delighted.

Monkey Moe: Well first I want to know why it is so important to have good manners anyway. Seems like a lot of waste of time and talk.

Belle: Moe, good manners are never a waste of time! Do you know the Bible tells us many things and some of them can be applied to our manners. The word “conversation” in the Bible can mean more than just talking – it’s the way we do things and the way we conduct our lives. This is very important to God. He said in Philippians 1:27 to let our conversation be as it becomes the Gospel of Christ.

Mooster: Yep, and in First Timothy 4:12 it says we who are saved are to be an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, and in purity.

Belle: And in Hebrews 13:5 it says “Let your conversation be without covetousness.” And in First Peter 1:15 and 2 Peter 3:11 God says we are to be holy in our conversation.

Monkey Moe: Wow. There are a lot of verses about that.  

Mooster: That’s just some of them. Belle here is really good at teaching, so she can help you learn more verses and how to be polite and have good manners.

Monkey Moe: Ah…ah….ah….CHHOOOOOO! Oh… yucky.

Mooster and Belle: Bless you!

Moe: Why?

Belle: That’s what folks say when someone sneezes. It’s just a polite response.

Moe: Oh. I always just say, “Awesome sneeze, Dude!”

Mooster: By the way, when you sneeze, you should cover your mouth. It protects the rest of us from germs.

Monkey Moe: Are you saying I have germs!?

Belle: Everyone has germs. You should cough into your elbow, too. It keeps germs from getting to the other children at school.

Mooster: That’s right, Moe. And by showing that you care enough to not spread your germs to others, you are behaving in a polite and godly manner, one that is  becoming of a Christian.

Monkey Moe: Really? Well, I guess I can cover my mouth and cough into my elbow. Hey kids, want to practice that with me? Everyone cover your mouth and say “ACHOO!”…..good job! Now hold your arm up to your face and bend your arm so you can cough into your elbow. Let’s try it: ……. Great! You guys did good! Either cover your mouth with your hand or your elbow when you cough or sneeze. The elbow is best, since you don’t shake hands or open doors with  your elbow.  You’ll spread the least amount of germs that way.

Belle: See? Using manners is easy! And, more importantly, it’s pleasing to the Lord. By using good manners, you are being an example of Christ.

Moe: Do you think Jesus used good manners?

Mooster: I’m sure He did! The Bible says He was without sin, so I’m sure He was polite whenever He needed to be.

Monkey Moe: Okay. I will try to have better manners. Belle, I look forward to having you help me. Thank you!

Belle: You are most welcome, Moe.  Boys and girls, this week let’s see if you can all find ways to be polite and use good manners. Open the door for someone…whether or not they are pretty, Moe! Say, “Excuse me” when you need to get past someone. Always say, “Please” and “Thank you.” And during the next couple months, when lots of cold germs will be flying around, make sure you cough or sneeze into your elbow.

Monkey Moe: Hey Mooster…is there a song Pastor Stafford can teach us that will help me remember to be polite?

Mooster: Yes sir! Pastor Stafford? …  Can you teach us First Timothy 4:12?

All sing. “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity.”

Belle: Well, I must be running along. We’re having a special family dinner so I can see all my cousins tonight!  It was a pleasure to meet you, Moe!

Moe: It was really a pleasure to meet you, too, Belle.

Mooster: Thanks for your help, Belle. Dinner will be great – and they’re serving the best dessert -- Moose Tracks ice cream!

All say “GOODBYE!”