Not Just A Two-bit Discovery
Title: Not Just A Two-bit Discovery
Category: Stewardship Issues
Subject: Money; Finances; Stewardship
Not Just A Two-bit Discovery
As an adjective, "two-bit" is used to describe something considered cheap, unworthy, trivial, petty, small-time or insignificant. It can also mean the value of two bits, which is the value of a quarter dollar. The monetary usage of the word came into being in about 1802.
In the early days of the United States of America, foreign copper, silver, or gold coins were accepted as currency. In fact, by an Act of Congress, the Spanish Milled Dollar was accepted as legal tender from February 9, 1793 until it was demonetized on February 21, 1857.
To provide smaller denominations, silver currency was cut into eighths, or "bits". Thus, twenty-five cents was dubbed "two bits," or two 12.5 cent units, as it was a quarter of a dollar. The terms "four bits" and "six bits" refer to fifty and seventy-five cents, respectively. I remember hearing the cheerleaders from Greystone Christian School in Mobile, Alabama, shouting: "Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar, all for Greystone, stand up and holler."
On Wednesday, September 5, 2007, while walking down the driveway to get the mail, I noticed something that looked like a brown rock and it was almost perfectly round. When I picked it up, I was shocked to discover that it was a not a rock, but a coin. It looked more like an older copper penny in color. Since Spanish explorers traveled through in the 1500s and in the 1860s a Civil War battle was fought here, it remains to be seen the number of priceless treasures that lay just beneath the surface of the earth in Spanish Fort, Alabama.
Looking closely, I discovered that it was minted in Denver, Colorado and it is worth a quarter of a dollar. A quarter is not what it used to be in composition. Before 1965 quarters were minted from silver, now they are copper-nickel. This quarter traveled at least 1,144 miles from Denver to Spanish Fort.
According to its condition it was missing for a while. No longer did it have a shiny nickel appearance. Since it was minted in 1987; it could have been missing for twenty years. When children find things they often say, "Finders keepers, losers weepers."
It was mine on Wednesday, September 5, 2007. Well, honestly, it is not mine by ownership; it is mine by stewardship. "The earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness, / The world and those who dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1). Dr. Stanley Tam learned this truth and wrote a book about it called, God Owns My Business. Sadly, many today feel that their business is none of God's business.
The Bible has more to say about money than heaven and hell combined, even more to say about money than salvation. The Bible has more to say about money than any other subject except love. Our attitude toward money says more about us than almost any other thing in the world as illustrated in the case of the rich young ruler recorded in Luke 18:18-29. Jesus is "both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36) and "He is Lord of all" (Acts 10:36). We must remember that one day "every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10b-11).
Upon further reflection, finding that brown quarter was not just a two-bit discovery.
By Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, pastor
First Baptist Church of Spanish Fort 30775 Jay Drive Spanish Fort, Alabama 36527
Author of Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice
http://www.webspawner.com/users/franklinlkirksey
Available on Amazon.com and WORDsearchbible.com
"Giving the Bible a Voice" on WNSI Sundays @ 10:30 AM http://www.wnsiradio.com
Click "Launch Player" to listen on Streaming Internet Radio
fkirksey@bellsouth.net (251) 626-6210
(c)September 25, 2007 All Rights Reserved
As an adjective, "two-bit" is used to describe something considered cheap, unworthy, trivial, petty, small-time or insignificant. It can also mean the value of two bits, which is the value of a quarter dollar. The monetary usage of the word came into being in about 1802.
In the early days of the United States of America, foreign copper, silver, or gold coins were accepted as currency. In fact, by an Act of Congress, the Spanish Milled Dollar was accepted as legal tender from February 9, 1793 until it was demonetized on February 21, 1857.
To provide smaller denominations, silver currency was cut into eighths, or "bits". Thus, twenty-five cents was dubbed "two bits," or two 12.5 cent units, as it was a quarter of a dollar. The terms "four bits" and "six bits" refer to fifty and seventy-five cents, respectively. I remember hearing the cheerleaders from Greystone Christian School in Mobile, Alabama, shouting: "Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar, all for Greystone, stand up and holler."
On Wednesday, September 5, 2007, while walking down the driveway to get the mail, I noticed something that looked like a brown rock and it was almost perfectly round. When I picked it up, I was shocked to discover that it was a not a rock, but a coin. It looked more like an older copper penny in color. Since Spanish explorers traveled through in the 1500s and in the 1860s a Civil War battle was fought here, it remains to be seen the number of priceless treasures that lay just beneath the surface of the earth in Spanish Fort, Alabama.
Looking closely, I discovered that it was minted in Denver, Colorado and it is worth a quarter of a dollar. A quarter is not what it used to be in composition. Before 1965 quarters were minted from silver, now they are copper-nickel. This quarter traveled at least 1,144 miles from Denver to Spanish Fort.
According to its condition it was missing for a while. No longer did it have a shiny nickel appearance. Since it was minted in 1987; it could have been missing for twenty years. When children find things they often say, "Finders keepers, losers weepers."
It was mine on Wednesday, September 5, 2007. Well, honestly, it is not mine by ownership; it is mine by stewardship. "The earth is the LORD's, and all its fullness, / The world and those who dwell therein" (Psalm 24:1). Dr. Stanley Tam learned this truth and wrote a book about it called, God Owns My Business. Sadly, many today feel that their business is none of God's business.
The Bible has more to say about money than heaven and hell combined, even more to say about money than salvation. The Bible has more to say about money than any other subject except love. Our attitude toward money says more about us than almost any other thing in the world as illustrated in the case of the rich young ruler recorded in Luke 18:18-29. Jesus is "both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36) and "He is Lord of all" (Acts 10:36). We must remember that one day "every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:10b-11).
Upon further reflection, finding that brown quarter was not just a two-bit discovery.
By Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey, pastor
First Baptist Church of Spanish Fort 30775 Jay Drive Spanish Fort, Alabama 36527
Author of Sound Biblical Preaching: Giving the Bible a Voice
http://www.webspawner.com/users/franklinlkirksey
Available on Amazon.com and WORDsearchbible.com
"Giving the Bible a Voice" on WNSI Sundays @ 10:30 AM http://www.wnsiradio.com
Click "Launch Player" to listen on Streaming Internet Radio
fkirksey@bellsouth.net (251) 626-6210
(c)September 25, 2007 All Rights Reserved
