Two Lame Quarters

By Anne Johnson –

There were two brothers, Ollie and Sphen, and they did everything together. These two brothers ate, slept, worked, played and went to the two-seater (outhouse) together. One day, Ollie accidentally dropped two quarters into the stool.

“Drat,” he muttered.

Seeing his brother’s distress, Sphen threw a handful of one dollar bills down into the hole.

“What are you doing?” Ollie exclaimed.

“Well you don’t think I’m going down there for two lame quarters do you?”

The people in the van I was traveling with erupted with laughter from the joke. A minute later a quiet voice from the back of the van stated, “I don’t get it.” Again laughter filled the air.

I turned to Molly, a young girl, whose crimson cheeks were glowing, and explained the meaning behind the joke.

“Oh, that was funny,” Molly replied.

My daughter and I had been traveling with her Bible Quiz team heading home from their regional competition in Minnesota. I had spent the last three days with this group of believers and marveled about the different personalities and gifting God had blessed each of them with.  At times, I found myself being jealous of the abilities of the people around me. Silently, I pondered the ways had God gifted me.

I remembered the verse from Romans 12:6, “We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us” (NIV). I reflected about the rainbow of talents of the people around me. Suddenly, a quiet voice interrupted my meditation.

“What are you thinking about, Miss Anne?” Molly asked.

“Oh, I was just wondering what my gifting from God might be.”

Not missing a beat, Molly replied, “The gift of laughter of course.”

Molly had seen in me something I hadn’t ever dared imagine could be a gift from my Heavenly Father. Laughter has always been important to me, a balm for pain and chasing the blues away. And now, God revealed through a child His precious gift He had bestowed on me.

I wanted to crawl over the seat to the back of the van and give Molly a hug. Her words were therapeutic. I find it hard at times to see God’s hand in my life, especially if I am busy comparing myself to others. Depression and self-doubt had begun to build up within me, but with Molly’s words, I felt special to God. Needed. Useful.

And to think it was all started with two lame quarters.