What Is Twelve Cents Worth?

Twelve Cents Isn’t Very Much

Something glinted in the parking lot as I closed my car trunk.

It was a dime, with a penny close beside. Then I saw another penny.

Twelve cents! And hey, twelve cents is twelve cents.

I leaned over to pick up the money and I stopped.

Yes, this small find would be a blessing for me. It would jangle in my pocket with other change. And be spent as prudently as my other money.

Maybe Twelve Cents IS Much

But what might it mean for someone else?

— Someone who doesn’t have a job, or struggles to pay bills each month?

— Someone who believes nothing good ever happens to them?

— Someone who needs twelve more cents to afford essential food or medicine?

Then I thought about some research I wanted to use in a blog. I’d been waiting until God gave me the rest of the words. I guess today is that day.

(Statistics from 2022)

— There are over 7,000,000,000 (7 billion) people in the world.

— 700,000,000 (700 million) — 10% of the people in the world live in poverty and make less than $1.90/day. Twelve cents is 6.32% of $1.90. Six percent of their daily income.

— 11.5% — 37,900,000 (37.9 million) AMERICANS live in poverty. (The federal poverty level for a family of 4 is about $27,750/year.) That’s $533.60 a week. And $13.34 per hour for a 40-hour work week. And they make twenty-two cents per minute. They work about 30 seconds of their lives to earn twelve cents. FOR A FAMILY OF FOUR.

— 54% of working AMERICAN families make less than $60,000/year. That’s $1153.85 a week. And $28.85 per hour for a 40-hour work week. And they make forty-eight cents per minute. They work 15 seconds of their lives to earn twelve cents.

BEFORE TAXES AND WITHHOLDING.

The Real Value of Twelve Cents

The value of twelve cents is different for each of us.

But as I consider the reality above, my prominent thought is:

When people say they need help, they mean it.

I left the twelve cents on the ground. As I drove away, I prayed that someone who really needed it would find it and know that God provided that blessing just for them.

The blessing I received was a million times bigger than twelve cents. I got the joy of leaving a treasure for someone else to find.

My prayer for everyone is:

May we be grateful for all God gives, and that we spend our lives helping others in the ways we can.

What blessing have you received this past week?

What Is Twelve Cents Worth? – What blessing have you received this past week? Share on X

Joni Vance is an award-winning author of fiction, essay, and poetry. She loves mystery, history, and how God reveals Himself every day.

May God reveal the mystery of His love in your life story.