Money or not...here I come...

Money or not, here I come…

Theology in the Trenches

by Kathleen Kjolhaug

While driving home one evening, I realized I had forgotten one item on my list, wrapping paper. Pulling into a parking lot and running into a nearby store, I soon found what I needed and took my place at the counter. There was only one person in front of me, so I knew it wouldn’t take long. Or would it?

The little customer put his bird feeder upon the counter and beside it plopped his bag of cash. “Did you rob your piggy bank?” I inquired halfheartedly hoping he’d get what I meant. The little guy stared back blankly, and just as quickly, I realized that piggy banks could be a thing of the past. The little dude did not understand what I meant.

With mama behind him, she looked up and with a smile said, “Sort of."

She got it. We enjoyed chatting as the clerk began counting out the coins. The excited buyer stood on tip toes to make sure he would be able to make the proud purchase all on his own.

Soon, the wait was over and the clerk’s head popped up. “You don’t quite have enough.”

Passing back the plastic bag which still had a fist full or two of pennies within, the little guy’s shoulders sagged. He looked befuddled and a bit disappointed, but as his mom came to the rescue with more cash, the clerk continued.

“I won’t bother with these pennies,” and he gave the bag back.

Not sure how the young consumer felt about not having his cash count, but the message that was sent was clear. In the eyes of the clerk, those pennies did not count as cash worthy of his effort to count.

I thought money was money. Even though it would have taken time to count those copper coins, it was still money and after all, it all adds up. Worthy were those pennies for the boy to gather, and worthy they were to count for something.

The little fellow just wanted to buy a birdhouse. He wanted to do it on his own. In the end, he needed help. After all, in the end, most of us do. It wasn’t like he was buying a sparrow or two to fill it. Certainly not cause back in the day he could have you know, at least according to Matthew 10:29.  “Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?”

Imagine the young man at the counter being handed a whole flock of birds for his cash that apparently didn’t even count! His shoulders would not have sagged one bit; rather, he would have swelled with pride having not only a birdhouse but a bunch of birds to put in it!

Isn’t that just what we have to look forward to, a little help when we need it, and a whole lot more bang for our buck than what we could have ever hoped.  Amen.