Every Penny Counts
We are all familiar with the saying, “Every Penny Counts.” In my fifteen years of dedicated service in non-profit ministry, I have uttered these words and witnessed their truth. However, I have also come to understand that in God’s economy, the value of every penny is not the same. Each contribution, no matter how small, holds a significant place in His divine plan.
In the Bible, there is a beautiful story about a widow who gave an offering at the temple. Jesus used this offering as a teachable moment for His followers. “And he called his disciples to him and said to them, “Truly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the offering box. For they all contributed out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty has put in everything she had, all she had to live on.” Mark 12:43-44
Last week, I saw an offering that reminded me of this story. One of our church partners told me they would give their vacation Bible school (VBS) offering to Collins Home Family Ministries. We let the church know we were trying to raise money for a new van, and the group of less than one hundred kids raised $2541. That kind of generosity always makes my heart happy. However, that’s not even the best part of the story.
One of the VBS volunteers shared a heartwarming story on Sunday at church. A child in his group, who had earned 116 dollars by walking dogs this summer, put a hundred dollars in the offering plate. The selflessness of this act is not just a story, but a testament to the power of generosity. Most people would have kept the 100 and given the 16. This young boy has reminded us of a valuable lesson taught by Jesus more than two thousand years ago: every penny counts, but some pennies carry a much higher value, inspiring us all to give what we can.
Collins Home Family Ministries is privately funded and receives no support from federal, state, or local governments. We depend on the generosity of churches, individuals, and businesses to support our efforts to shelter children, strengthen families, and create stability in our community. Your support is not just appreciated; it is crucial to our mission. It costs about one million dollars annually to provide our services to twenty residential children and their families. While that appears to be a high number, the cost of doing nothing is much greater!
-Kelly Ross