Recently I was in a supermarket, buying a few trifles, for which I would
pay with the few two pound coins that were in my wallet. The checkout
assistant drew my attention to one of the two pound coins and said that
this was not legal tender. So, not having my glasses with me to read the
small print, and not wanting to make a fuss, I agreed to swap the coin
over with another one I had.
I was a bit flummoxed by the fact
that the imprinted image on the coin was definitely a queen's head. So I
waited until I had returned back to the office so I could investigate it
further on the net, and where my glasses where to be found! Glasses on I
could see it was not a coin from the Channel Islands that gets into
circulation from visitors or tourists that bears the Queen's head. So I
went to the website for the Royal Mint and found it to be a 1989 English
W & M Tercentenary of the Bill of Rights and Claim of Right coin
(http://www.royalmint.gov.uk/Corporate/BritishCoinage/CoinDesign/TwoPoundCoin.aspx).
So, it was legal tender and worth more than double its face value,
because only 2,500,000+ were minted--not exactly rare but collectable! I
was minded to go back and remonstrate with the checkout girl to vent my
annoyance with her shortcomings. However I did not do so because I
pondered that I had been told it was worthless, but now I had found out
it was worth more than face value! This provoked my reminiscence about
the parable above! There is joy in heaven.
I know I could be more
patient, but I am reminded I am in need of Grace. Such is our nature
here on earth. We are called to be peaceable:
James 3:17:- But
the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to
reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. (ESV)
PRAYER: LORD, we are consumed with small things that block our
channel to Your Peace. Grant us Grace to let go of the unimportant. Open
our eyes to see the bigger picture: Kingdom of God values. May we live
in the excitement of knowing that we are a part of this. There is joy in
heaven over our decision to keep on laying down the stuff (cf. Matthew
18:7-9) and by our witness make known the nature of Jesus in our lives,
amen.
Rod
Marshal Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England
