Wouldn’t it be terrible to go through life as a penny and nobody want you?  I walked out of the coffee shop today and saw a penny on the asphalt and walked on by.  Now if it would have been a nickel, dime, or quarter, it would have found its way into my pocket.

My penny philosophy really isn’t worth a plugged-nickel because even a penny has cumulative value.  If you doubled the value of a penny everyday, the increase would be significant by the end of a month.  After 10 days it would be worth $5.12.  By the 20th day it would have increased to $5,242.88, and by day 30 it would be worth an amazing $5,368,709.12.

While most of us do not have the resources to make the penny equation add up in our lives, we can do something else.  We can multiply our God-given talents and abilities by investing them in the lives of other people:  as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers (Galatians 6:10).

There are plenty of opportunities to help others, but are willing to get involved?  Maya Angelou has made an interesting comment:  I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

I will never forget how my 7th grade Geography teacher made me feel:  Her acts of kindness were a healing balm to my deep wounds.  Four months earlier, on the last day of 6th grade, my dad was killed in an oil field accident.  Helen Bobbitt was aware of my tragic loss, and she was determined to make a difference in the life of her student.

You can add it up, but a few years have passed from 1965 to the present.  Through  those passing years, one thing has endured:  It is the appreciation I still have for this lady who gently prodded me on with her gentle presence and reassuring words.

When we take the small penny-moments of life and invest them in the life of another, we know not how great the dividend may be.  The words of Mother Teresa encourage us to embrace this challenge:

“Life is an opportunity, benefit from it.

Life is beauty, admire it.

Life is a dream, realize it.

Life is a challenge, meet it.

Life is a duty, complete it.

Life is a game, play it.

Life is a promise, fulfill it.

Life is sorrow, overcome it.

Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is a tragedy, confront it.

Life is an adventure, dare it.

Life is luck, make it.

Life is too precious, do not destroy it.

Life is life, fight for it.”

I hope this thought keeps you thinking.