I like wrinkled

The other evening was my night for ‘chapel service’ at the local rescue mission. I showed the crowd a crisp new 5 dollar bill, and ask how many of them would take it if it were offered. Then I took a beat-up old wrinkled 5 dollar bill and ask the same question. Wrinkled or crisp, the bill is still worth 5 dollars. It was an object lesson about how God sees us, and how He looks past the outside.

After the service someone came up and asked me if I had a wrinkled 5 dollar bill.

“You know I do, I just showed it to you”

“I’m not sure I believe in God, but would you give it to me, so that I can give it to someone in this room?”

“Who are you planning on giving it too?”

“I don’t know, but someone needs it, and I have to be careful not to give it to someone who’s going to buy booze.”

“Here it is – what are you going to do with it?”

“I don’t know, shouldn’t I get some kind of inspiration about now?”

“Maybe by the time dinner is over, you’ll know”

I don’t know what he did with it, maybe he’ll tell me next month at Chapel. It cost so little, but gave me great pleasure to give it to him, and see him struggle with how God blesses us so that we can bless others. Brought a smile to my face (and my heart)! Someone will love that wrinkled 5 dollar bill as much as if it were a crisp brand new one.

A nice reminder that God loves me even when I’m wrinkled, beat-up and broken.

I like wrinkled.