Black History Transforming Culture- George Washington Carver

In continuing the theme of how African American Christians have transformed culture I found a podcast wtih Jerry Bower (although I have no idea who he is) interviewing a man who recently completed a book about George Washington Carver (George Washington Carver: His Life & Faith in His Own Words). In this interview I learned about how Carver’s faith in Christ influenced his contribution to transforming culture.

What grade-school student hasn’t heard about how George Washington Carver studied the peanut and with it produced an amazing variety of products? It was respect for all of God’s creation lead him to study it. His discoveries eventually helped the south wean itself off of cotton and thereby transformed the entire economy and thereby culture. As Carver himself put it,

Why should we who believe in Christ be surprised what God can do with one man in a laboratory?

How ironic it is that a former slave changed the South for the better.

Carver’s faith did not just affect what he did as a career, but also affected the decisions he made. When the man who founded the famous Tuskegee Institute (which later was forever associated with Carver’s name) first asked Carver to come teach at this new school the man only promising more hard work for Carver. This did not deter Carver,

I look forward to do all I can- through Christ who strengthens me- to better the condition of all our people.

Carver took the harder job at the new and struggling school because he believed that,

Human need is a great spiritual vacuum that God seeks to fill with one hand in the hand of a fellow man in need and the other in the hand of Christ. He could get across the vacuum and I became an agent. Thus the passage, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” came to have real meaning.

How amazing it would be if we all took George Washington Carver’s perspective to life. How much different would our world today be if Christians were to approach the world like him. We don’t have to be political in order to transform the world- Christians just need to live their faith and they will see the world become a better place for all.