Later at dinner this woman asks the man if the penny he found is valuable. He tells her that every time he sees a penny, he picks it up, says a prayer, and keeps the penny as a reminder that the name of God is holy. On United States coins, it is written “In God we Trust.”
The same day I read the penny story, one of the children I work with came up to me and proudly announced that he had a nickel in his pocket. My first thought wasn’t to pray, it was to ask him educational questions. How much is a nickel worth? How many pennies does it take to equal 5 cents?
When we went inside, this boy told the girl sitting next to him he had a nickel. He handed it to her to examine. She looked at it, and immediately said “In God We Trust.” I smiled at her first response, the one I thought I would have had. It made me think about how often when we think we’re teaching others that they end up teaching us. This is by no means the first time I’ve come to this important realization, and since I work with so many insightful children, I’m certain it won’t be the last.
It’s nice to have reminders, symbols, and signs that God is with us and that a great many do trust in Him. What people, places, and things remind you to pray and trust in God?
