see a penny

I just received a little story via email that really hit me.

A woman and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband’s boss’ home. The man was very wealthy and took them to an exclusive restaurant one evening. As they were about to enter the restaurant, the boss stopped suddenly, looking down at the pavement.

The woman 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 causally 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!

I got to wondering how many times I’ve simply passed up on a penny, thinking it wasn’t worth much or that it was probably filthy. I’ve never bothered to look at it as a reminder from God to trust Him, no matter what.

Could I honestly read the words and say to myself, “In God I trust?” Do I trust Him completely, totally and with everything? Good times and bad times?

If I were to see a penny, and stop to pick it up, perhaps I would then realize that the things I have been worrying or fretting about are things that most likely I cannot change.

If God is trying to start a conversation with me, it is a good thing then that pennies are plentiful and that He is patient.