THE WORTH OF A PENNY

By Dr. Hoyt W. Allen, Jr.

The following article came to me recently and I contended that I should pass it on. It has been slightly edited and a conclusion added.

Several years ago, a friend of mine and her husband were invited to spend the weekend at the husband's employer's home. My friend, was nervous about the weekend. The boss was very wealthy, with a fine home on the waterway, and cars costing more than her house. The first day and evening went well, and my friend was delighted to have this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. They visited the finest restaurants. As the three of them were about to enter an exclusive restaurant that evening, the boss was walking slightly ahead and he stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement for a long, silent moment.

My friend wondered if she was supposed to pass him. There was nothing on the ground except a single darkened penny that someone had dropped. 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.

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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. WHAT A LESSON!

I found a penny on the sidewalk. I stopped and picked it up, and realized that I had been worrying and fretting in my mind about things I cannot change. I read the words, "In God We Trust," and had to laugh. Yes, God, I get the message. WHAT A LESSON!

The United States Of America has been blessed since its origin by a very generous God. He has planted under our soil great deposits of gold, silver, coal, oil and various minerals. God has given us the Grand Canyon and the well-known beauty of Niagara Falls, the gray-green of the Mississippi River as it carries its load of silt to the Gulf Of Mexico. He has given us the Shenandoah Valley and the giant trees called the Red Woods. The fruited plains of the old west. Caverns for tourist’s viewing. The Appalachians, Blue Ridge, and Smokey Mountains to thrill us during any season. Zoos which bring the wild animal to us. Museums across or land to enlighten us. The tallest sky-scrapers known to man. He has permitted us to develop factories, refineries, steel mills and potteries, which excels far beyond any of our foreign neighbors. Now, it is our turn to demonstrate how much we appreciate Him.

Plainly, don’t get short changed. Let’s be ready to meet our Maker. The Bible (in Acts) teaches that to avoid hell and gain heaven - one must:

1) Believe In Jesus As Savior (16:31) 2) Repent Of Sins (17:30)
3) Confess Christ Audibly (8:37) 4) Be Baptized In Water (2:38)
5) Live A Christian Life (14:22) 6) Be Active In the Church (2:47)

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