Enkindle - one cent
A young boy walks into a store — sounds like the beginning of a joke, doesn’t it? But no, in this case, it is a parable. The boy, no more than eight or nine, stands on his toes to reach the counter and places a handful of pennies in a careful pile. His face glows with anticipation. “One bar of chocolate, please.” The shop assistant, a tired-looking man in his forties, glances at the coins and sighs. “One dollar,” he says flatly.
The boy’s small fingers move quickly, counting. Ninety-nine cents. His heart sinks. “It’s only ninety-nine cents!” the shop assistant says in a hurried tone, eyeing the growing line behind the boy. “Come on, kid, there are other customers waiting!” The boy’s shoulders slump. He scoops up his hard-earned coins and turns away, the weight of disappointment pressing down on him.
Just as he takes a step toward the door, a soft, weathered hand touches his shoulder. An elderly woman, wrapped in a well-worn shawl, steps forward. Her eyes, deep with years of wisdom, hold a quiet kindness. Without a word, she reaches into her pocket and places a single, shining cent on the counter. Then, gently, she takes the boy’s clenched fist, opens it, and adds his ninety-nine cents to the single penny. “One dollar,” she says simply.
The shop assistant blinks. The moment stretches. Then, with a nod, he reaches for the chocolate bar and places it in the boy’s hands. The boy looks up at the woman, his eyes brimming with wonder. “Why did you do that?” he asks. She smiles. “Because sometimes, the smallest thing makes all the difference.” The boy clutches his chocolate bar, but somehow, it no longer feels like just candy. It feels like something bigger, a gift, a lesson, a kindness passed from one hand to another. And as he walks out of the store, he knows one thing for certain, someday, he too will find someone holding ninety-nine cents in their palm, waiting for that one missing piece. And when that day comes, he will know exactly what to do.
The boy thought he had enough. Ninety-nine cents felt like a fortune in his small hands, the fruit of his patience, the proof of his effort. He had counted and recounted, reassured himself that it was enough. But when he stretched out his hand to claim his prize, reality met him with a single, unyielding truth, he was one cent short. In that moment, all his careful saving, all his striving, all his certainty unravelled. The world did not bend to his effort. He stood there, helpless, at the mercy of what he lacked.
We live much of our lives believing we must have it all together before we can offer something to others. That we must know more, be wiser, have greater faith, deeper understanding, or unshakable certainty before we can make a difference. We tell ourselves we are not ready, not qualified, not enough.
But consider this; the one who is lost, often holding their ninety-nine cents, believing it is sufficient. They move through life with what they have, strength, knowledge, even faith, thinking it will be enough to find peace, meaning and purpose. Until the day comes when they realize it is not. And that is where you come in.
God has placed in your hand a single cent, a gift so small you might overlook it, a mustard seed of grace, a whisper of something holy. It may seem insignificant. It may feel like nothing. But in the hands of God, it is the missing piece which sets the other free.
When Holy Spirit leads you to someone holding ninety-nine cents, someone so close yet still falling short, you will see that your one cent is not small at all. It is abundance. It is possibility. It is the moment where striving ends and grace begins. With one cent, doors open. With one mustard seed, the kingdom takes root. With one humble offering, a lost soul glimpses the abundance of God.
You may not have all the answers. You may not have great power or deep knowledge. But in the economy of grace, it is never about how much you have, it is about what you are willing to give. Never doubt the power of what is in your hand. For when placed at the feet of God, the smallest gift offered in His name, changes lives.
You are the wealthiest one-cent soul.
Think on it.
Matthew 13:31-32, Mark 6:38-44
Shalom,
Jim Varsos