Adapted by ChatGPT from my devotional of July 25, 2005.
Bezalel made the bronze washbasin and its bronze stand from bronze mirrors donated by the women who served at the entrance of the Tabernacle. — Exodus 38:8
Characters:
- Elder Miriam – Wise and compassionate leader of the ministry team, with a rich history of service and faith.
- Rebecca – Young and insightful, newly married to a metalworker named David, eager to prove herself.
- Hannah – Pragmatic and no-nonsense, a widow with a deep sense of duty.
- Ruth – Kind and nurturing, a mother of three, known for her generosity.
- Foreman Ezra – Dedicated but stressed foreman of the laver project, struggling with the weight of responsibility.
- Nathaniel – A loyal and diligent messenger, often caught in difficult situations.
Scene 1: The Tabernacle Construction Site
(The sun is high, casting sharp shadows across the busy construction site. Elder Miriam, Rebecca, Hannah, and Ruth, along with other women, are being led on a tour by Nathaniel. They approach the laver project area where Foreman Ezra is yelling at Nathaniel.)
Foreman Ezra: (shouting) How am I supposed to finish the bleeping laver without the brass? This is a disaster!
Nathaniel: I’m sorry, Ezra, but the brass shipment won’t arrive for another month. There was a mix-up at the port.
(Elder Miriam steps forward, her calm presence immediately noticeable.)
Elder Miriam: (gently) Ezra, what’s troubling you so deeply?
Foreman Ezra: (frustrated) We’re out of brass. My workers will sit idle, and the entire tabernacle’s completion will be delayed. I don’t want to be the one to tell Chief Bezaleel or Moses.
Elder Miriam: (thoughtfully) How much brass do you need?
Foreman Ezra: (mumbling) About ten measures.
Elder Miriam: Thank you, Ezra. Let’s see what we can do.
Scene 2: A Quiet Corner
(Elder Miriam leads the women to a quiet corner away from the noise. They sit down to discuss the situation.)
Elder Miriam: This is a serious matter. If we don’t find a solution, the tabernacle’s completion will be delayed.
Hannah: (sternly) We can’t let that happen. This is God’s house we’re building.
Ruth: (nurturing) Maybe we should pray for guidance.
(The women, distressed, begin to pray. Rebecca, however, starts calculating in her head.)
Rebecca: (whispering to herself) Forty measures… How much brass is that? My mirror… it’s a sizable piece… about one-quarter measure. Among all forty of us…
(She gasps, startling the other women.)
Hannah: (concerned) Rebecca, what is it?
Rebecca: (hesitant) I was thinking… If each of us has a mirror as large as mine, we might have enough brass for the laver.
Ruth: (softly) Are you suggesting we give up our mirrors?
Elder Miriam: (decisive) This is not a decision to be made lightly. We’ll fast and pray tonight. Return tomorrow with your decision.
Scene 3: Rebecca’s House
(That evening, Rebecca is at home with her husband, David. He is a metalworker, and the walls are adorned with his creations.)
David: (curious) You seem troubled, Rebecca. What’s on your mind?
Rebecca: (sighing) At the tabernacle site today, we learned that they don’t have enough brass for the laver. I realized that if each of us gave our mirrors, it might be enough.
David: (thoughtful) That’s a significant sacrifice. Are you prepared to give up your mirror?
Rebecca: (determined) If it means completing the house of God, yes. But I need to pray about it.
David: (supportive) Whatever you decide, I’m with you.
Scene 4: The Next Morning
(The women gather again, each holding their mirrors. Foreman Ezra is present, looking stressed. Elder Miriam steps forward.)
Elder Miriam: Ezra, we’ve come to a decision.
(All the women step forward, presenting their mirrors. Foreman Ezra is stunned.)
Foreman Ezra: (falling to his knees) I… I don’t know what to say. Thank you, all of you. I doubted, and you’ve shown such faith.
Rebecca: (tearfully) It’s not easy to part with these, but it’s for the house of God.
(The women, moved by their collective sacrifice, share a moment of tearful joy. They hug and support each other.)
Hannah: (pragmatically) This will delay our daily routines, but it’s worth it.
Ruth: (comfortingly) We’re all in this together. We can help each other.
Elder Miriam: (softly) Our story will be part of something greater, something eternal. We’ve made a sacrifice for God’s house, and that is a blessing.
Scene 5: The Foreman’s Gratitude
(Later that day, Foreman Ezra approaches Elder Miriam with a newfound respect and gratitude.)
Foreman Ezra: (humbly) Miriam, I must apologize for my earlier behavior. I let my frustration get the better of me.
Elder Miriam: (kindly) We all have our moments, Ezra. It’s how we respond that matters.
Foreman Ezra: (grateful) Your faith and the women’s sacrifice have taught me a valuable lesson. Thank you.
Elder Miriam: (smiling) It is God who deserves the thanks. We’re merely His servants.
Epilogue: The Legacy
(As the years pass, the story of the women’s sacrifice becomes a cherished part of the community’s history. The completed laver stands as a testament to their faith and unity.)
Narrator (voice-over): And so, the tale of the mirrors became enshrined in holy scripture, a story of faith, sacrifice, and unity. The women’s mirrors, melted down and transformed, became part of the tabernacle, a lasting legacy of their devotion to God.
(The final scene shows the completed tabernacle, with the laver gleaming in the sunlight. The women stand together, proud and united, knowing their sacrifice has become a part of something eternal.)
(End.)
Editor’s note: Slightly reformatted for WordPress. I also changed the quantity from “40 measures” to 10, so Rebecca would have more calculating to do. In addition, I inserted a censored curse word to make Ezra’s final apology more credible. 🙂
Radically Happy 
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