The Penny

The Penny 
 
 You always hear the usual stories of pennies on the 
sidewalk being good 
luck, gifts from angels, etc. This is the first time 
I've ever heard 
this twist on the story. Gives you something to 
think about.   
 
 
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, Arlene, 
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 Arlene was 
delighted to have 
this rare glimpse into how the very wealthy live. 
The husband's 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 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 
Arlene and her husband. 
He stopped suddenly, looking down on the pavement 
for a long, is lent 
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 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." 
 
 
"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! 
 
When I was out shopping today, 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.