photo from : The US National Archives , Public Domain
To continue with Carver ’ s story , he relates : “ I looked at Him , and He looked at me . ‘ Now , you know what the peanut is .’ Why did you make the peanut ? The Creator said , ‘ I have given you three laws ; namely , compatibility , temperature , and pressure . All you have to do is take these constituents and put them together , observing these laws , and I will show you why I made the peanut .’
I , therefore , went on to try different combinations of the parts under different conditions of temperature and pressure , and the result was what you see .” 3
The results : Carver discovered over 300 uses for the peanut . Food items included nuts , soup , a dozen beverages , mixed pickles , sauces , meal , and instant and dry coffee . Other items included : salve , bleach , tan remover , wood filler , washing powder , metal polish , paper , ink , plastics , shaving cream , rubbing oil , linoleum , shampoo , axle grease , and synthetic rubber .
He produced milk that would not curdle in cooking or when acids were added . Long-lasting cream and cheese could be made from this milk . “ This milk proved to be truly a lifesaver in the Belgian Congo . Cows could not be kept there because of leopards and flies , so if a mother died , her baby was buried with her ; there was nothing to nourish it . Missionaries fed the infants peanut milk , and they flourished .” 4
George worked with many other plants and items — making 107 products from sweet potatoes , synthetic marble from sawdust , and wallboard from many different southern plants . For his work , Carver received many awards and became the advisor to many world leaders , including President Franklin Roosevelt , Mahatma Gandhi , and Thomas Edison . In all his work , he never failed to acknowledge God .
In 1921 when he testified before a committee of Congress , he was asked by the Chairman : “ Dr . Carver , how did you learn all of these things ?”
Carver answered : “ From an old book .” “ What book ?” asked the Senator . Carver replied , “ The Bible .” The Senator inquired , “ 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 .” 5
Carver looked for divine direction and saw God as the revealer of truth . He said , “ I discover nothing in my laboratory . If I come here of myself , I am lost . But I can do all things through Christ . I am God ’ s servant , His agent , for here God and I are alone . I am just the instrument through which He speaks , and I would be able to do more if I were to stay in closer touch with Him . With my prayers , I mix my labors , and sometimes God is pleased to bless the results .” 6
He knew his purpose in life : “ My purpose alone must be God ’ s purpose — to increase the welfare and happiness of His people .” 7 Godly service , not money or fame , was his primary motivation . In fact , Edison offered him a job with a six-figure income , a fortune in those times , but he turned it down so he could continue his agricultural work
“ The secret of my success ? It is simple . It is found in the Bible , ‘ In all thy ways acknowledge Him , and He shall direct thy paths .’”
in his laboratory that he called “ God ’ s little workshop .” “ George Washington Carver worked for the riches of God rather than the wealth of this world .” 8
Carver helped transform the economy of the South and affected agriculture all over the world . Carver had to overcome all kinds of obstacles to fulfill his destiny ( only a few have been mentioned here ). In all of these , he persevered , labored hard , and pursued the desires in his heart . He had a great impact upon many people , agriculture , and the economy at large . ■
To read about other Christians who applied biblical truth in their vocations , see Stephen McDowell ’ s book Transforming Nations Through Biblical Work at providencefoundation . com .
Stephen McDowell , co-founder and President of the Providence Foundation ( providencefoundation . com ), has trained people from 100 countries to apply biblical truth in all spheres of life . He has consulted with government officials , assisted in writing political documents and starting political parties , and aided in starting Christian schools and biblical worldview training centers . He has authored and co-authored over forty books , videos , and training courses , including Liberating the Nations and America ’ s Providential History . Stephen ’ s books and writings have been translated into eighteen languages and distributed to millions .
Endnotes 1 . William J . Federer , America ’ s God and Country ( Coppell , TX : FAME Publishing , Inc ., 1994 ), 98 . 2 . Rackham Holt , George Washington Carver , An American Biography ( Garden City , NY : Doubleday , Doran , and Co ., Inc ., 1943 ), 226-227 . 3 . Ibid ., 227 . 4 . Ibid ., 229 . 5 . Charles E . Jones , The Books You Read ( Harrisburg , PA : Executive Books , 1985 ), 132 . Quoted in Federer , 96 . 6 . Holt , 220 . 7 . Federer , 97 . 8 . James Manship , “ George Washington Carver ,” notes of speech , 1998 .
Copyright © 2017 . Stephen McDowell . All rights reserved . Reprinted by permission . For more information , visit providencefoundation . com .
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