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Better Late than Never

Album: Gold Audio 09: Just in Time

Episode: 119

Lesson/Theme: Lateness.

Bible Verse: Matthew 25:1-13

Characters: Connie, Whit

Writer: Paul McCusker

Sound Designer: Bob Luttrell

Original Air Date: July 14, 1990

Last Air Date: June 16, 2008

Description:
Rachel Weaver is always late. Everyone knows it, especially the kids at Whit's End. They're gathered there, waiting for Rachel to show up so they can leave for a roller-skating trip that Connie is going to chaperone. Finally, Connie decides to leave. She yells for the kids to hop in the bus outside. Then she tells Whit to inform Rachel that they got tired of waiting. Connie adds that if Rachel isn't on time for the volleyball tournament the next day, she's off the team. They leave, Rachel shows up, and Whit delivers Connie's message. Rachel makes all sorts of empty excuses for her tardiness, but finally realizes that it really is her fault. At home, her father agrees and says that habitual lateness is downright rude. Later, a depressed Rachel falls asleep in front of the television and has a terrible nightmare. She meets Rod Serly and takes a trip into the Twilife Zone! There, she is late for every important event in her life-even her funeral! She wakes up from the nightmare in a cold sweat, determined not to be late for anything again. Especially for the next day's volleyball tournament. But getting there the next morning proves to be its own real-life Twilife Zone. First, her parents oversleep. Then, her dad's car won't start. Rachel takes off on her bicycle and gets a flat tire. She cuts across a neighbor's backyard and is chased by a ferocious dog into the woods, where she falls in a creek. Just then, Whit drives past. Rachel hops into Whit's car, but when he steps on the gas, it, too, dies! At the school, Connie is just about to boot Rachel from the game when Rachel walks in-wrinkled, disheveled, and soaked, but ready to play volleyball! The kids cheer. Later at Whit's End, the team has a grand celebration. Rachel's team lost, but more importantly, she showed up on time.

Questions:
Why is it so rude to be late? What could Robyn have done to break her bad habit of always being tardy? Read Matthew 25:1-1 How does Jesus feel about tardiness?