No one knows the date of George Washington Carver's birth, so let me celebrate this great man on National Peanut Day which is coming up on Wednesday, September 13, 2017
Random thoughts for the day:
1) One of my favorite heroes is George Washington Carver. He became one of my heroes not because of his accomplishments (which were many) but because of the way God worked in his life.
2) By God's wonderful Grace he overcame lots of things in life. To start with, he was born a slave from a family of twelve. Carver had 10 sisters and a brother, all of whom died prematurely. He was the only one that lived an abundant life.
3) Three years ago, I was reading some things about him and it was said that he once asked God to reveal to him the secret of the Universe. By his testimony, he said that God told him that He can not do that for him, but told him that He will reveal to him the secret of the peanut. He went on to develop over 300 peanut products.
4) George Washington Carver believed he could have faith both in God and science and integrated them into his life. He testified on many occasions that his faith in Jesus was the only mechanism by which he could effectively pursue and perform the art of science. George Washington Carver became a Christian when he was still a young boy, as he wrote in connection with his conversion in 1931:
"I was just a mere boy when converted, hardly ten years old. There isn't much of a story to it. God just came into my heart one afternoon while I was alone in the 'loft' of our big barn while I was shelling corn to carry to the mill to be ground into meal.
A dear little white boy, one of our neighbors, about my age came by one Saturday morning, and in talking and playing he told me he was going to Sunday school tomorrow morning. I was eager to know what a Sunday school was. He said they sang hymns and prayed. I asked him what prayer was and what they said. I do not remember what he said; only remember that as soon as he left I climbed up into the 'loft,' knelt down by the barrel of corn and prayed as best I could. I do not remember what I said. I only recall that I felt so good that I prayed several times before I quit.
My brother and myself were the only colored children in that neighborhood and of course, we could not go to church or Sunday school, or school of any kind.
That was my simple conversion, and I have tried to keep the faith."
— G. W. Carver; Letter to Isabelle Coleman; July 24, 1931
He was not expected to live past his twenty-first birthday due to failing health. He lived well past the age of twenty-one, and his belief deepened as a result. Throughout his career, he always found friendship with other Christians.
5) George had a simple faith that moved mountains. He never lost consciousness of his relationship with God, He was conscious that he is a child of the Most High God. I believe he is one of the few Christians who is able to enter into the "narrow way that leads to life".
6) The land of Israel was the promised land that was given to the Jews. For Christians, our promised land is resting in the completed work of Jesus the Messiah. Yet, sadly many have not and will not be able to enter into that rest. Why? Because they rely on their performance and their goodness to get them through. You do not enter into the gate because you are good, You enter the gate because God is good.
7) This is the reason I hate performance-based Christianity. It will rob you of your blessings and it will even kill you spiritually. There is only one gate that leads to the narrow way...It is "Grace" and it is a person....Jesus the Messiah.
-- Written by our friend, Willie P.
05/30/2017
