Penny Wise

We had closed an account recently, and the next month we got a statement that we had an unpaid balance of one cent! Do we mail them a penny?  Or write a check for 1 cent? Well, today Howard decided to pay it locally, so we headed to the store. On the way, I looked at the statement we had brought, and it looked as if they owed US a penny! Which I really think they did, for the amount was enclosed in parenthesis on the statement. Anyway, they accepted his penny, so all is well.

I got to thinking about the poor widow in the Bible who gave her last bit to the temple offering. Mark 12:41 tells us, "And Jesus sat over against the treasury,  and beheld how the people cast money into the treasury: and many that were rich cast in much.

(42) And there came a certain poor widow, and she threw in two mites, which make it a farthing. (43) And he called unto him his disciples, and saith unto them, Verily I say unto you, That this poor widow hath cast  more in,  than all they which have cast into the treasury:

(44) For all they did cast in of their abundance; but she of  her want did cast in all that she had, even all her living."

A farthing is a quarter of a penny as in an old English coin. Jesus mentions "farthing" in Matthew 10:29 when he says, "Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and not one of them shall fall on the ground without your Father."

There are many sayings about this small coin, such as, "A penny saved is a penny earned." Or "A penny for your thoughts."

I read of a woman who always picked up a stray penny. When asked why she did that, she said, "Because it  has God's name on it." And it does  have the words, "In God We Trust" engraved on the copper coin!

Well, it didn't take our last penny to pay the account, but we paid it to the last penny!