© 2011 Vicki Lewis
Another aspect of a Christ-centered education is having the God-given wisdom to look at all of life from God’s perspective. Here is one of the finest examples I have come across highlighting someone who truly gave God the glory in his education and was amazingly rewarded by God!
While speaking in North Carolina in 1920, this man said: “Years ago I went into my laboratory and said, ‘Dear Mr. Creator, please tell me what the universe was made for?’
“The Great Creator answered, ‘You want to know too much for that little mind of yours. Ask for something more your size, little man.’
“Then I asked, ‘Please, Mr. Creator, tell me what man was made for?’
“Again the Creator replied, ‘You are still asking too much. Cut down of the extent and improve the intent.’
“So then I asked, ‘Please, Mr. Creator, will you tell me why the peanut was made?’ ‘That’s better, but even then it’s infinite. What do you want to know about the peanut?’ “‘Mr. Creator, can I make milk out of the peanut?’
“‘What kind of milk do you want? Good Jersey milk or just plain boarding house milk?’ “‘Good Jersey milk.’
“And then the Creator taught me to take the peanut apart and put it back together again. And out of that process have come forth all these products!” (This Christian gentleman had discovered over three hundred products from the peanut alone and an additional one hundred eighteen products from the sweet potato!)
A year later this same man, George Washington Carver, was asked to address the Senate Committee in Washington, D. C. The committee originally gave Dr. Carver a mere ten minutes to explain the results of his research. Over an hour and a half later, however, the chairman asked him, “Dr. Carver, how did you learn all of these things?”
Dr. Carver answered, “From an old book.”
“What book?” asked the senator.
Dr. Carver replied, “The Bible.”
The senator inquired, “Does the Bible tell about peanuts?”
“No, sir,” Dr. Carver replied, “But it does tell about the God who made the peanut. I asked Him to show me what to do with the peanut, and He did.”
When asked about his success Dr. Carver remarked, “It is simple. It is found in the Bible, ‘In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct thy paths.’” (Proverbs 3:6)
It thrills my heart to imagine what this generation of homeschooled children may discover, invent, create, or design because they have been taught from childhood to believe in the truth of God’s Word in every detail! Will you set this example before your children as something they could prayerfully strive for, each one in his or her own field of interest?