A Prayer that Changed Things

                                                                                                    

 

from the life of George Washington Carver

 

 

It happened many years ago after the terrible war which some called the War Between the States, and some called the Civil War.

 

The United States of America and her people were hurting. The economy of the former states of the Confederacy was in a shambles, because the slave labor on which much of it was built, was gone.

 

There was a son of former slaves, now free, who knew that somehow there had to be a solution to this problem. His name was George Washington Carver. As you see, he was named after  “the father of his country.” Maybe his parents felt that there was something special about their little George, too.

 

As George grew up he began to have conversations with the Author of the Book that his parents read all the time, and which they treasured. Now he had his own copy of the Book. He also had a great interest in things that grew from the ground.

 

George went to school and studied for many years, and worked hard to support himself. He became a college professor, and had his own laboratory for experiments.

 

 

One day George was walking in the woods. He began to have one of his talks with his Friend, and it went something like this:

 

“Mr. Creator, why did you make the world?”

The answer came to his mind,

“Little man, that is too big a question for you.”

“Oh. Well, Mr. Creator, why did you make man?”

The answer came,

“Little man, that also is too big a question for you.”

George was not discouraged, so he kept trying.

“Alright, Mr. Creator,

“Why did you make the peanut?”

                                                                                                             

Again the answer came.

“Now you have asked a question that I will answer. Let us go back to your laboratory and I will show you.”

 

George Washington Carver spent three days and two nights in his laboratory discovering amazing practical uses for the little peanut.     

His Friend was true to His word.

 

These discoveries led to a new group of manufactured products that people would buy; a lot more than peanut butter. So the poor people began to grow lots and lots of peanuts, which they sold to the companies that made the products.

That is how the son of former slaves, a man named George Washington Carver, believed the Word of his Friend, and trusted Him. In doing so, he proved the love and faithfulness of that Friend.

That is how a little conversation with a big Friend rebuilt the damaged economy of the southern states of the United States of America, and blessed the people.

 

(retold by Raylyn Terrell)