Find a penny, pick it up

The other night when Spot and I were out for a walk, I picked up a discarded 2p. It was in the middle of a pile of gravel thrown to the side of the road by the wheels of the cars travelling along the street.

The coin was badly tarnished and abraded around the edge – it had obviously been on the road for some time.

Unnoticed. Its lustre gone. Its value unappreciated.

Thrown away because it lacked value – “what can you buy with 2p”?

I say thrown away as I know there are people who throw 2p, 1p and even 5ps away, for that reason. What can you buy with that? They have no value; no worth.

Spot is often impressed at my ability to spot a discarded coin, especially one in the condition of this one. It’s a talent I’ve had for years. I picked it up from my uncle. Though back then, small denomination coins were valued more highly and usually had fallen from someone’s pocket or purse; not thrown away and discarded.

It saddens me to see people throw away money, even such small denomination coins, due to their perceived lack of worth. Stick them in a jar and see just how quickly the money adds up. As Andrew Carnegie is supposed to have said "look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves".  The coins I find in my travels and get in my change I place in an old money box and at the end of the year it often as not adds up to £15. Not bad for mainly 1p and 2p coins. Seemingly worthless coins.

And picking up that coin the other night got me thinking. What about people? Who does society "throw away", seeing them as worthless; of no value? I'm not going to list off examples here, but they are all around us. In the margins, among the dirt, unloved, unnoticed and unvalued.

The very people I, as a Christian, should be noticing. Seeing their worth where others see none. Speaking up for them, helping them, loving them.

Giving them worth and value and self-esteem where others don't.

Because only then can I really call myself a Christian, a follower of Christ, as that is what he calls me to do. To love others as I love myself.