"I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go.... " Psalm 32:8
In the center of the busy main street in Enterprise, Alabama, there stands one of the strangest monuments in the world. It is a memorial in honor of an insect. Handsomely carved in stone is the likeness of a boll weevil. Charley McCaull relates the following interesting story concerning the strange leading of Providence which led to its erection. He says, "From early plantation days all the farmers of the community struggled to raise cotton - it was their main crop. When it failed, they failed. As the seasons unfolded, a serious pestilence was brought forth. A little beetle began to damage the boll of the plant. In time it became almost impossible to 'make' a crop. George Washington Carver, along with others, became desperate and began research. Peanuts were the answer. They found that this underground vegetable could be planted and harvested in the area with very little loss. Soon peanut-oil mills took the place of cotton gins, and the region became knows as 'The Peanut Center of the World.' Moreover, they found their new profits far exceeded those of their former efforts. Many became wealthy due to the changeover. And the insect - however destructive - that brought such a boon of prosperity was not forgotten. The statue stands as a memorial to its work."
Is there a lesson here for us? Maybe God lets "weevils" work havoc in our lives for a purpose. Maybe we are trying to grow cotton when we should be planting "peanuts!"
We need to learn that delays and disappointments are often the "boll weevils of Providence" sent by a gracious God to make us plant a more profitable crop of His choosing!
"Bread For Each Day"
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