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A CRACK IN THE NEST EGG
MAIN POINT
The aging of America has escalated the emphasis on retirement planning, taking control of
one's own financial future to procure a preferred lifestyle during the golden years. The
"chief end of man" is subsequently undergoing a slow shift, from glorifying God
and investing in eternal things to creating a luxurious nest-egg that provides for one's
comfort. God must have foreseen the trend; his word makes it painstakingly clear that the
rate of return on investments made for the afterlife far exceeds any from those made for
this one, and should be the focus of our energies and priorities.
CHARACTERIZATION
Patrick is a well-meaning, if somewhat excitable, husband and father. He tends to be
easily influenced by trends and advice-givers (he'd buy every latest infomercial exercise
machine if his wife didn't intercept him), but is sincere in his desire to cover his
bases. He isn't especially "deep," but resist the temptation to caricature him
as goofy or out of touch. Play him with a likable, boyish quality; a sincere guy trying to
do his best with what he has. The humor will come off better if he's seen as an
"everyman" rather than an idiot.
Ally is the more level-headed partner. She isn't rattled or shaken by Patrick's panic;
she's been here before. She's not adversarial in her tone or demeanor; she's for him and
with him. She's more relaxed and easygoing than negative or sarcastic, even when making
her teasing comments.
DIRECTOR'S NOTES
1) Take advantage of the opportunities for humor through physical posture and facial
expression, especially as Ally responds to some of Patrick's idiosyncrasies. For instance,
when he hands her the pencil from his mouth, she can react with silent disgust to his
saliva on it. Patrick can use a variety of larger-than-life expressions: boyish glee when
describing his baseball card game, big-eyed panic when imagining he'll still have to be
working at 85.
2) The pacing should match the mood, deliberate as the problem is revealed, quickening as
Patrick enumerates his ideas for raising capital quickly, then slowed a bit as they
discuss what they find in the Bible. Resume the quickened pace for the last few lines.
RELATED SCRIPTURES
Jesus made the pursuit and use of money a defining issue in his evaluation of how a man
measures his life. Notice the battle lines he draws around it in Matthew 6:24, and note
the alternative perspective he offers in Matthew 6:25-33. The most natural connection is
the passage quoted in the script itself, Matthew 6:19-21. You also might find a nice
tie-in with stewardship passages or sections dealing with sowing and reaping, such as Luke
6:38, Luke 19:11-27 and Galatians 6:7-10. In terms of planning ahead financially and
warnings against hoarding for oneself, consider James 4:13-17.
RELATED THEMES
The script can connect with themes such as the temporal vs. eternal, selfishness,
priorities and materialism. It could also tie in nicely as part of a stewardship series or
a financial planning seminar. If a series looks at the various stages of life and their
unique issues, consider using it for either the midlife or golden years segments.
