Speaker: Darlene Sala | Series: Encouraging Words | George Washington Carver was an American botanist back in the 1900s who became famous for discovering 300 uses for the lowly peanut.  Most people wouldn’t have been willing to devote their lives to a mere peanut. But the story goes that Carver once asked the Lord,

“Lord, what is the universe?” The Lord said, “George, that’s too big for your little head. Suppose you let me take care of the universe.” Greatly humbled, the scientist asked, “Then, Lord, if the universe is too big for me to understand, please tell me, what is a peanut?” And then the Lord answered, “Now George, you’ve got something your own size. A peanut can understand a peanut; go to work on the peanut while I run the universe.”[1]

Carver discovered that if farmers would grow peanuts on the soil that had been depleted of nutrients by years and years of growing cotton, indispensable nitrogen would be put back into the soil. Then, he went to work to find uses for the crop in order to make the growing of peanuts financially practical.  From peanuts Carver made cheese, milk, butter, flour, ink, dyes, soap, stains, and many other substances.

The problems of the universe are far too big a project for us to solve. But we can go to work on whatever opportunity the Lord has put in our path. He doesn’t ask us to do what we cannot do. The talents, abilities and aptitudes God has given us are a trust to be used for Him. He doesn’t expect perfection, but He wants us to be faithful in using what He has given us. The Bible says, “Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2).

Maybe He has given you motivational skills. Or artistic ability. Or computer skills. Maybe the trust God has given you is the family you are raising. Whatever it is, know that you can fulfill the purpose for which God created you.

 

[1] M. R. De Haan, “Small Beginnings,” Our Daily Bread (Grand Rapids, MI: RBC Ministries), October 27, 1962.