This Land I Gave You

Celebrate the blessings of your nation while reflecting on the true source of its greatness—God. This Land I Gave You© is a thought-provoking and often humorous readers drama that invites audiences to reconsider what it means to be truly patriotic.

Through witty banter, heartfelt reflection, and scripture-filled dialogue, four readers challenge each other—and the audience—to look beyond surface-level gestures and rediscover the deeper call to gratitude, obedience, and worship.

Perfect for national holidays, church services, or community events, this versatile script requires no special props or staging and can be performed with any age or gender. Whether read or acted out, it’s a powerful reminder that God is not only the giver of our land—but the one who asks for our hearts in return.

“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.”

Run-Time: Approx. 12–15 minutes
Cast Number: 4 readers (any age or gender)
Staging Notes:

• No sets, props, lighting, or sound effects required
• Use music stands to hold scripts so hands are free for movement and expression
• Designed as Readers Drama but may be adapted to standard staging

Biblical References:

• Genesis 12:1–2
• Genesis 13:14–17
• Genesis 17:7
• Leviticus 26:6
• Deuteronomy 11:13–16
• Exodus 20:5
• Joshua 24:15
• Romans 3:23

Script Sample

Cast: Judy, Nancy, Barry, John
Setting: Simple line formation, left to right: Judy, Nancy, Barry, John. No special sets or props. Use music stands to hold scripts.

(National anthem plays. Group mimes a parade passing by—heads slowly turn left to right. Judy sings softly. Others salute or place hands on hearts.)

JOHN: Man, really upliftin’!

BARRY: Really was, wasn’t it?

NANCY: Really makes you proud to be (nationality), doesn’t it?

JOHN (glances at Judy): Maybe you guys didn’t notice?

NANCY: Notice? Notice what?

JOHN: Salute? (shakes head) Duh!!!

BARRY: Salute? Salute what?

NANCY: Whatever are you talking about, John?

JOHN: Didn’t you see? Judy, she didn’t salute as the parade was goin’ by! Didn’t even so much as lift her hand to her heart! I tell ya!

BARRY: I don’t believe you! Have a look at Judy, will you?

JOHN: Look? What do you mean look?

BARRY: Notice something different about her? Her arms maybe?

JOHN: I most certainly did! Never once did her arms move to salute the flag as it went by!

BARRY: John! Open your eyes, will you! What does she have on her arms?

JOHN: Well, I’m gonna tell you, from the way she’s standin’ you’d swear she was in a full body cast! (laughs uncontrollably) Arms in a body cast! Good one, huh?

NANCY: John! Wake up and smell the coffee! Judy is in a full body cast!

BARRY: Yeh, maybe that’s why she didn’t salute? D’ya think?

JOHN: Full body cast? Well, just the same, I mean, she just, . . . stood there!

NANCY: What did you expect her to do, John? Full body cast! (mimes) You know, . . . . like, . . . can’t move!

JOHN: Well, she surely coulda done something, I mean . . . .

NANCY: Actually she did, she sang the national anthem. Didn’t you hear her? Beautiful voice!

JOHN: Sang?

BARRY: Yes, she did John. Didn’t notice you singing John! Not very patriotic!

JOHN: Me? Was so!

NANCY: You were not, John!

JOHN: Was too! Was too!

BARRY: I was standing right beside you, John! I guess I would have noticed if you were singing!

JOHN: Well, I was! I was . . . . . I was . . . . singin’ in my heart, that’s what! Us guys that are patriotic, we sing in our hearts, all the time! Yeh, that’s it!

BARRY: “In your heart”, John! You were singing in your heart? That’s a new one!

JOHN: Least you coulda done, Barry, was sing in your heart too.

BARRY: I don’t believe you, John! How could you possibly know whether I was, or was not, singing in my heart?

JOHN: Well, your lips weren’t even moving.

BARRY: But your lips weren’t moving either, I was watching you!

JOHN: Well, that’s different. See, when I sing in my heart, my lips don’t move. I’m different that way.

NANCY: You’re different alright! And that has nothing to do with your lips moving!

JOHN: Watch, see, I’ll show you. (badly sings a few lines of anthem, not moving lips) See how I did that? Cool, huh?

BARRY (disgusted): Yeah, real cool!

JUDY: Isn’t it wonderful, this land that God has given us?

NANCY: God? This land?

JUDY: Yes, this land God has blessed us with! We have so much, all given freely to us, from God’s own hand.

JOHN: Hey, whoa there, Judy! Look, I’m as much into church and things as the next guy, but . . . .

BARRY: “. . . into church”? You? Only time I ever saw you in church was when your sister got married!

JOHN: Not true! Matter of fact, I happened to be in church just this last weekend, thank you very much!

NANCY: John, I really don’t think attending the Fish and Game Association luncheon in the church basement qualifies as going to church!

JOHN: And just why not, I ask you, Nancy? I’ll have you know that the Fish and Game League is a very respected cause! So, maybe I’m not always at church on a Sunday morning . . . .

BARRY: Everyone move away from John! There may be lightning any moment now!

JOHN: Who says I have to be in church to be a church-going person?

NANCY: Aaaah, who wants to take that one?