How many of you eat peanut butter at least weekly? Thinking of how many millions of people depend on peanut butter, it makes us recall, once more, the story of George Washington Carver.
He spent time talking with God. One night as this brilliant scientist was trying to figure out the mystery of the stars, God spoke to him, and said “study the peanut.” Carver obeyed and began to work with the peanut in his laboratory. It is said that he discovered “300” uses of this product, and peanut production began to grow. Though we are told that peanut butter had been discovered earlier by the Inca’s, Carver’s work helped make it available to the world.
Knowing the many social issues of his day and aware of his own intellectual ability, I’m sure there were times when this great scientist wondered if he was wasting his life devoting his time to peanuts. One man, by listening to God and finding his small place in the world, helped feed, without his knowing it, billions of people for the generations that followed.
We read today the story of a young woman who changed the world by spending time with Jesus (Luke 10:38-42).
“Jesus entered a village where a woman whose name was Martha welcomed him. She had a sister named Mary who sat beside the Lord at his feet listening to him speak. Martha, burdened with much serving, came to him and said, ‘Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me by myself to do the serving?”
What good was Mary doing? None, as far as Martha was concerned. The older sister was “burdened” with the problems of running a house and fixing a meal for Jesus and probably his hungry friends. Poor Martha was left “by herself” to do the important work. Mary just sat and listened to Jesus.
Surely Jesus would agree with Martha and say to Mary, “Okay we’ve talked enough now; go help your big sister do her work; it’s not fair that the whole burden fall on her shoulders.” Instead, however, Jesus admonished Martha.
“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and worried about many things. There is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part and it will not be taken from her.”
Anxious and worried! Doesn’t this sound a lot like us? What if Martha didn’t do all that work, would it have mattered that much? If Mary, however, didn’t devote herself to listening to Jesus, he’d been just another of Martha’s many house guests. He was the Son of God—the perfect image of the invisible God—making a short appearance on our planet. Surely all of creation needed to stop, take notice and honor him. For the most part, however, even religious people ignored him as though he weren’t even there. Mary, however, would not let this sacred moment pass her by.
Facing the crises in today’s world, many remind us to “Pray, pray, pray.” We are activists and don’t see how prayer can make a difference. If we were George Washington Carver, we’d forget about the peanut and get to bigger things like running for political office. If we were Mary, we’d jump up, put on an apron, and get down to business.
How is it that our small efforts at prayer can change the world? How is it that imitating Mary can change the whole course of history? Do we believe what Jesus said? Will we act on it?
“Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it” (Luke 11:28).
