The dirty dollar
Take a $20 bill (or any bill) and hold it up in front of the group. Ask who would like to have it. Obviously, everyone will probably raise a hand.Crumple up the bill, throw it on the floor, and step on it. Then pick it up and ask, “Now, who would like this money?” Once again, you should expect an affirmative response from everyone.
Next, spit on the bill, rub dirt on it, dunk it in a toilet, or otherwise abuse it. Then ask who would be willing to take it. Chances are pretty good that everyone will still be willing to take the money off your hands.
Where to Take It from Here…
God knows our true value and loves us not because we look good or do all the right things, but because we have inherent worth as his children. In the same way, we shouldn’t judge people by what’s on the outside, but by what’s on the inside. Everyone is a child of God and worthy of respect.
You can take this illustration another step, either to emphasize evangelism or to encourage Christian young people to “walk the talk.”
After trashing the original $20 bill and making it look as bad as you can, take another brand-new $20 bill and hold it up for comparison.
Obviously, both of these twenties are worth the same amount of money. But if you had your choice, wouldn’t you rather have the new one? If you were a $20 bill, wouldn’t you rather be the new one?
God loves us even when we’re a mess, but he wants us to come to Jesus Christ and be made new. You may think you can live any way you want, that it doesn’t matter to God how you live. But it does! God wants you to get cleaned up, and he’s provided a way for that to happen. You can’t do it yourself, of course. You need Christ, who will do it for you. He’ll change your life. “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation…The old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Corinthians 5:17)
