A Penny for Your Trust

I bent down to pick up a penny in the parking lot the other day. Carl wondered why I did. Because I saw it — those four powerful words engraved in faded copper: “In God We Trust”.

And suddenly, that scuffed-up coin wasn’t just a penny. It was a proclamation. A pocket-sized sermon. A reminder that no matter how tarnished, tossed aside, or trampled life may feel – we should still ALWAYS trust in God.

The U.S. Treasury just announced they’re phasing out the penny by 2026. After more than 200 years of jingling in pockets, lining piggy banks, and being lost between couch cushions, it seems the little guy costs more to make than it’s worth — 3.7 cents for a 1-cent coin! A penny saved is apparently a nickel earned now. Yikes!

But before we say goodbye to our copper-colored companion, let’s flip it over and reflect on something far more valuable than metal. “In God We Trust” isn’t just a motto — it’s a lifeline. In a culture that’s quick to discard what seems insignificant, God reminds us that nothing is too small to matter. Not the penny. And certainly not you and me.

Jesus said in Luke 16:10, “Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much.” That includes pennies… and people.

So the next time you spot a lonely penny on the ground, don’t just walk past it. Pick it up. Smile. And whisper a prayer: “Lord, today, I trust You — with the big, the small, and the in-between.”

Let the last of the pennies be the beginning of a deeper trust. Not in gold. Not in government. But in God alone.

That, dear friends, is the richest investment we’ll ever make.
“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” — Psalm 20:7

Now go check your couch cushions. There’s a sermon hiding in there. 😉