The Appearance of Two Sides
A Coin Can Be Spent or Saved.
Many years ago, a young boy was given a quarter by his father. Trying to teach the value of money, he told him you could choose to save this money or spend it. The young lad visited the local candy store and saw a big sack sweet candy that his quarter would buy. His eyes were big. He left the candy store.
Remembering what his father said, he went to his town bank up the street. The lad presented the quarter to the teller and asked what his quarter would make, if he saved the shinny coin. The teller smiled and told him he would need more than that if he wanted to earn money.
With a sad look on his face, the boy started to leave but then stopped. He turned back to the teller. He asked her if he could trade this in on any other coins? She politely said the quarter could be exchanged for 5 nickels. After receiving the five coins he left the bank for home.
One of his friends had heard that he had received a quarter earlier in the day. Word spread and soon a bunch of boys were gathered when he got home. The young boy said he no longer had the quarter but had something even better. The children looked perplexed. What could be better than a new shinny quarter.
The young lad gave each of them a nickel. All the children enjoyed sharing candy together because of the generosity of this one lad.
And Realizing the Third Side
There was the rim of the coin
Although the father had tried to teach his son about the value of money, the lad learned a bigger lesson. He learned the value of relationships, Instead of saving the quarter or spending it on himself, he saw a third option of sharing. He realized that is what his father did earlier, by sharing the quarter with this son.
Gratitude was expressed through the lesson of sharing.
Applies to our Lives
Our lives are like that quarter. We can choose to save the coin through our introverted ways. But insecurity, fear and isolation do not pay a very high dividend. And honestly, it creates a boring, wasted life as we exist in our own prison cell.
So I was afraid and went out and hid your gold in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' Matthew 25:25
We can spend our lives serving ourselves, wasting every moment on our gratification and happiness. Yet, out life is spent and nothing to show for it. When we leave this earth, all that we gathered, all our possessions and wealth will not matter.
People remember the goodness of others rather than their treasures or wealth.
Or we can use our life making other lives better, through serving others and bringing real joy, . Folks will remember your kindness long after you are gone. It is that selfless sharing that you take with you. Your acts of kindness are the third side... the rim of real spiritual prosperity...and a life fully lived.
