June 2019 : Parable: Kelly and the kebab question

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Kelly plugged her phone in and pulled the duvet over her head. It had been a long, long day.  She had  got up early  because she hadn’t managed to finished her geography homework the night before. She hated geography, but she didn’t want to get a detention for not handing it in on time. At lunchtime she played in the orchestra, then after school it was hockey practice. Her room was a mess of maps, trombone music and dirty sports kit.

Her phone buzzed. Kelly emerged from her duvet cocoon to check the screen:

“K, can I have ££? I need kebab.” Alesha.

Her friend was always asking for something. She had asked to borrow Kelly’s trombone to fish out the bag she had dropped into the canal. She had asked for Kelly’s best mascara at the cinema because her false eyelashes had fallen into her popcorn. She had asked to come over and use Kelly’s bathroom because her dad was cleaning motorbike parts in the washbasin at her house. And now cash for a kebab!

Kelly ignored the message and snuggled up in bed again. But it didn’t last long…

Buzz.

“Come on K. Mich came round. No food in house. Mum forgot 2 shop.”

Nope. Not this time. Kelly was not going to get involved. Alesha’s requests always had some kind of long-lasting legacy.

It had taken her ages to get that duck poo off her trombone.

Buzz.

“Get up! I’m outside.”

What?! Kelly dragged herself out of her warm bed and staggered towards the window, tripping over a hockey stick in the darkness. Pulling back the curtains she saw Alesha waving to her from the street below.

“Kelly!” Alesha’s attempt at a stage whisper echoed around the street.

Kelly yanked the window open.

“Shh! You’ll wake up the whole street!” she hissed.

“Can you lend me a tenner? Michelle hasn’t eaten all day. I don’t think her dad’s managing very well,” said Alesha, no more quietly than before.

Michelle’s dad had been made redundant and her mum had left home four years ago.

Kelly sighed. “OK.” She took ten pound coins out of her savings jar. Having put them in a small bag, she threw them down to Alesha.

“Thanks! I’ll pay you back tomorrow!” That’ll be the day, thought Kelly.

• What would you have done in Kelly’s position?
• What would make you get out of bed to help someone if they asked for it?
• Has anyone ever asked you for help that you didn’t want to give?
• How difficult is it to help friends? What about people you don’t like?
• Have you ever had to ask for something again and again? What happened?

This story is based on Luke 11:5-13. Read this passage to the  group and compare Jesus’ story and words with this one. Discuss what Jesus might have been saying through his parable, encourag- ing the group to think about it in a new way.