While I was sitting on a bench in the park, I noticed a penny on the pathway. As people hurried by, no one gave that penny a second glance. It was, after all, only a penny, small and insignificant, and not worth the time to stop and pick it up.

Staring at the penny, I thought, By the worlds’ standards, I am not much different than that penny. To the government, I am known as a social security number. To the merchant and service companies, I am known only by an account number. To the credit card companies, I’m known as an account and a credit score. It’s the same with most of the places I go. Most of the people I meet don’t know me by name. In the hurried pace of life, even if I shared my name with them, would they remember it?

This may be true of how the world sees us, but it is not by any means how God sees us. The God of the universe calls us His children. Let me say that again—we are His children! In God’s economy, He not only knows His creation, He knows each of the stars, and He knows our names too. In fact, He knows everything about us, and He values us dearly.

In God’s economy, He not only knows His creation, He knows each of the stars, and He knows our names too. In fact, He knows everything about us, and He values us dearly.

~Sandra Stein

Your earthly father wouldn’t call you by a number. He wouldn’t sit at the dinner table and say, “Hey 219685, how was your day?” No, our fathers call us by the name they gave us at birth. It’s the same with God but on a grander scale. He calls us by our name, and not by some number. To him, we’re significant, created purposely for His Kingdom. Most of all, God originated us significant enough to send His one and only Son to die on a cross, not only that our sins may be forgiven, but to give us the right to become children of God. 1 John 3:1a NIV reads,

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are!

The next time you see a penny lying on the ground, think of the significance it represents. It is not insignificant to the one who chooses to value it. Besides, if you look close enough, that tiny little penny has some pretty big words on it. The inscription on the penny reads, “In God We Trust.”

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.

John 1:12 NLT

What do the words, “In God We Trust” mean to you?

Heavenly Father, thank You that to You I have supreme value. You know me by name, and You sent Your Son Jesus as proof of Your extravagant love for me. Amen.

Copyright 2019:The  Penny: Author Sandra Stein: All Rights Reserved 

 

Meet Our Contributor

SANDRA STEIN

Sandra Stein is a contributing author to two devotional books; Take My Heart O God and Heaven Calling, both published by Zondervan. She has published articles including publications in Vista Magazine by Wesleyan Publishing and Victory in Grace Magazine.

Sandra’s current work-in-progress is a victim-to-victory true story entitled, Emotionally Uphill. Having been subject to abuse both inside and outside of her home, Sandra felt she had no safe place—that is, until she met Jesus, the Lover of her soul. This book intends to help the reader overcome trauma as Sandra did, by clinging to the One who loves with an everlasting and divine love—Jesus Christ.

With her experience as a dog trainer, and with horses, she has a vision for combining her love of animals with her passion to help people. Sandra’s heart’s desire is to open a ranch to people who have been bullied or abused, to provide them a place to belong. She envisions emotional and spiritual healings happening through the gentle interaction animals can provide.

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