2 Corinthians 3:5,6 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.
2 Timothy 2:15 Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Proverbs 3:6 In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.
Philippian 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
George Washington Carver attributed the above four scriptures as the true secret of success, happiness, and power. He loved the Lord, and from the time he accepted Christ as Lord and Savior at about the age of 8 he trusted God and depended on Him. He not only believed on the Lord Jesus, but knew Him through an intimate relationship.
George was born into slavery and was very sickly as a baby. He was never expected to live past the age of 21, but God had a plan for this wonderful man!
He lost both of his parents and his sister when he was a baby. Moses and Sue Carver took him in and raised him to about age 10, when he went to live with Uncle Andy and Aunt Mariah Watkins so he could attend school. They taught him many things such as cooking, sewing, laundry and ironing which helped him pick up odd jobs to pay for his schooling.
George worked his way through college ,became a chemist and created a delicious spread called peanut butter! Thank you, George!
He also created many other things from peanuts, pecans, soy beans and sweet potatoes, such as: peanut brittle, peanut oil (He used to use it to massage sick people and they would get healed.), instant coffee, vinegar, mayo, face cream, molasses, shoe polish, printer’s ink, and many, many more awesome things.
When George was asked by the chairman of the U.S. House Way and Means Committee how he learned to create all these things, this is what he said:
“From an old book.”
What book?
“The Bible.”
Does the Bible tell about peanuts?
“No, Sir” Dr. Carver replied, “But it tells about the God who made the peanut. I asked Him to show me what to do with the peanut, and He did.”
I love that! It reminds me of the time in Maine when we were concerned that our driveway was going to flood and the Father said, “Ask Me!” (See my post “Just Like the Driveway”.) It reminds me of this past Tuesday night when I was getting ready to go to sleep and was concerned about our plugged kitchen sink. The Father said, “Remember the driveway?” I said, “I do Father! Would You please unclog our sink for us?” I then went to sleep. The next day, our daughter Gabi told us how just as she’d started up her PS4 game, she heard the sink go, “Glug, glug.” Isn’t that awesome?! Isn’t Father awesome?!
George was a great encourager to his friends, colleagues, and all he came in contact with and reading his letters to his friends has greatly encouraged me.
My encouragement to you is in agreement with my beloved brother George, “I asked Him to show me what to do with the peanut, and He did.”
Just ask Him! He loves you and is just waiting for you to ask for Him to intervene on your behalf and to ask Him when you don’t know what to do. Let Him help. Amen.
Sources: George Washington Carver-His Life and Faith in His Own Words, William J. Federer, 2003 Amerisearch, Inc., St. Louis, MO; Thomas Nelson Study Bible, NKJV, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1990