Picking Up Pennies

Have you ever stopped to pick up a penny lying on the ground? Well, let me tell you a little story about picking up pennies.

Once a friend of mine and his wife were invited to spend the weekend at my friend’s employer's home. They were very nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than their house. The first day and evening went well, and Arlene, my friend’s wife, was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. The employer was quite generous as a host, and took them to the finest restaurants. Arlene knew she would never have the opportunity to indulge in this kind of extravagance again, so she was enjoying herself immensely.

As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead of my friend. He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.

Arlene wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped and a few cigarette butts. Still silent, the man reached down and picked up the penny. He held it up and smiled, then put it in his pocket as if he had found a great treasure. How absurd! What need did this man have for a single penny? Why would he even take the time to stop and pick it up?

Throughout dinner, the entire scene nagged at her. Finally, she could stand it no longer. She casually mentioned that her daughter once had a coin collection, and asked if the penny he had found had been of some value. A smile crept across the man's face as he reached into his pocket for the penny and held it out for her to see. She had seen many pennies before! What was the point of this?

'Look at it.' He said. 'Read what it says.' She read the words ‘United States of America’ 'No, not that; read further.’ ‘One cent?’ ‘No, keep reading.’ ‘In God we Trust?’ ‘Yes!’ ‘And?’ ‘And if I trust in God, the name of God is holy, even on a coin. Whenever I find a coin I see that inscription. It is written on every single United States coin, but we never seem to notice it! God drops a message right in front of me telling me to trust Him? Who am I to pass it by? When I see a coin, I pray, I stop to see if my trust IS in God at that moment. I pick the coin up as a response to God; that I do trust in Him. For a short time, at least, I cherish it as if it were gold. I think it is God's way of starting a conversation with me. Lucky for me, God is patient and pennies are plentiful!”

It is easy for us to get so caught up in the ways of the world so mush we forget that God is always there right beside us We just need to trust in Him and allow Him to take care of our each & every need. The Psalmist tells us to, “Be Still and Know that I am God.” Sometimes we just need to stop our busy lives & feel God’s presence. Of course sometimes we need a little reminder, even if it is as insignificant as a penny lying on the ground. May you ‘Pick up a Penny’ this week!!

Dear Lord, help us always to know that you are God and to always trust in you. Amen.