Every Coin Has A Story
Think of the lowly penny in your pocket. If that coin could talk, what a story it would tell!
The life of that coin began the day it was minted and put into circulation all shiny and new, ready to be used. At first, as it was spent, it was proud to be used, buying things, being a part of transactions far and wide. The life of that coin has purpose, dignity, and meaning.
Over the years, as it been traveling through different hands, that coin has gone places. Seen people. Done things. Imagine how many different sights it has seen. How many items it’s been used for something good or bad. Truth be told, over the years, it’s worn itself down. The shiny new metal has turned to a lackluster dull finish. Today, it barely gets noticed. Even as it rests at the bottom of your pocket or purse today, that particular coin has a story. A past. A present. A future. Even a legacy.
Coins aren’t much different than people, if you think about it.
Every Coin Tells a Story
I wonder what the coin in your pocket is thinking right now. If it could talk, it might not be very proud of where it’s been. Maybe it spent some time tossed onto the hard pavement. It might have been stepped on, overlooked, endured endless people ignoring it. Maybe that penny endured some cold, dark nights. Maybe it languished in the bottom of an ash tray, or it’s been riding along under the floormat of your car, wondering if anyone would ever pause to pick it up. Maybe it longs for the sweet caress of a human touch. Maybe it’s heart’s desire to do more. Be more. Find another coin to join with. Maybe that penny is dreaming of what it might become one day. You never know what a coin might be thinking.
Every coin has a story. The truth is coins by themselves don’t have much power, but when placed together with other coins, they can do much more. It is a fact that pennies add up. Put enough of them together and they become dollars. Dollars working alongside other dollars. It just might be the lifelong dream of that little penny to join with other pennies and create a whole army of pennies.
Ever thought how much pennies are like people?
Perhaps that’s the secret message of those iconic Red Kettles we see during the holidays. Like coins in a pocket, when you and I join to do good, there is potential for great things to happen. The power of hope, love and faith get unleashed. Homes get healed. Families dream of brighter futures. People get fed or have a haven of peace for a night. When you give, Love abounds. We become a part of something more.
A Legacy of Love and Hope
So, the next time you hear that familiar bell or see a Red Kettle outside a storefront, take a moment. Remember the story of that penny in your pocket.
Whether you donate a penny or dollar, share a smile, or say a prayer, know that your small act of kindness can make a big impact. You add to the story. Not just the story of a coin, but your story. Someone else’s story. Humanity’s story. God’s story.
So, give that coin in your pocket new life. Donate it. Set it free to roam and be used for good. The truth is that those pennies will be better off when you do. Who knows, you might be better off, too.
For more information or to make a donation, visit SalvationArmyUSA.org.