Encouragement

One Hundred

by Stephen A. Peterson
06/24/15
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One Hundred

© 2015 by Stephen A. Peterson

A famous football coach began his lecture by taking his wallet out of his pocket, opening it, then taking out a brand new, crisp one hundred dollar bill before an audience. In the packed gym of more than 10,000 he asked: “Who would like this $100.00 bill?” Immediately hands began raising. The coach stated: “At the end of my presentation I’m going to give someone here this $100.00 bill free of charge. But before I do, I’m going to fold this $100.00 bill so that it is small and has 16 creases in it. Okay!”

After he did this, the coach asked the crowd, if they still wanted the $100.00 bill. The same number of hands went up again. “Okay,” said the coach. Next the coach presented a soup can with mud before the crowd. “Now I’m going to open up the $100.00 bill and put the whole bill in this can of mud.” The coach did just what he said he would do. Again he asked the crowd if they wanted the muddy $100.00 bill. Once again the crowd raised their hands in unison just as they did before.

“My friends,” said the coach. “No matter what I did, you still indicated that you would still take this now filthy, dirty $100.00 bill. Why?” Then he pointed at a young boy who had raised his hand.

The boy responded: “Cause it’s still $100.00!”

“So no matter how messy, dirty and filthy this money is you’re still willing to take?”

“Yep,” said the boy.

“Well, well, well!” replied the coach. “I bet some, maybe all of you are trying to know why I did this and what’s the point. Well, here it is. Throughout our lives, we all get bent out of shape, we get dirty, messy and really nasty looking because we are human and are not perfect. However, regardless of our condition, we never, ever lose our value to Our Heavenly Father. Even though sin dozens and dozens of times and no matter how horrid the sin or sins are, my God, your God, still loves us beyond what we are able to imagine. We are His children who He made special. No one is made like you…no one! Each and every person I’m looking at right now was paid for with His Blood, His suffering and His death on a nasty, filthy, rotten cross. So to Him it does not matter what you did. He’ll forgive you. All you have to do is go to Him, repent and acknowledge Him. You need not be concerned about your past. After you discuss your sins with Him and repent of them, He does not care about them anymore!”

After the coach finished his short talk, he walked away from the podium, walked down the stairs into the whispering crowd, then he found a 5 year old disabled girl in a wheelchair to whom he gave the folded, dirty, now smelly $100.00 bill to. The crowd came to its feet and gave its approval with loud thunderous rounds of applaud and shouts.