Daily Devotional

“And the Angel of the Lord appeared to him, and said to him, ‘The Lord is with you, you mighty man of valour!’” (Judges 6:12). 

No one dreamed that little George would amount to much. He was born into slavery around 1864. After the Civil War ended, his former slave owner, Moses and Susan Carver, decided to keep George and his brother, raising and educating the two bright boys. Susan taught George to read and write since no local school would accept a black student. Though George had poor health, he later walked 10 miles to a school where he completed his primary education. 

George finally graduated from high school and ended up as the first black student at Iowa State Agricultural College, where he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree and taught. When Booker T. Washington, president of Tuskegee Institute, hired George Washington Carver to run the school’s agricultural program in 1896, he couldn’t promise the brilliant man a hefty salary. But from these humble beginnings, Carver became one of the most prominent scientists and inventors of his time. He eventually created more than one hundred products from just one major crop—the peanut. 

Gideon, an early judge in Israel, had humble beginnings as well. When the Lord called him to “save Israel from the hand of the Midianites” (Judges 6:14), he balked. “O my Lord, how can I save Israel? Indeed, my clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house” (verse 15). Distrustful of himself, he asked God for a sign. After he prepared a meal for his heavenly guest, the Angel of the Lord touched the offering he set upon a rock and it was consumed by fire. 

Convinced of his divine calling, the modest leader set about his first work. He destroyed his father’s altar to Baal. It nearly cost him his life, but the Lord was with him. When he rallied his countrymen to war against the Midianites, Gideon hesitated to come forward as their leader. He put out a fleece, and God once more chose this humble man to accomplish great things. 

Lord, use me today to accomplish Your purposes. I humbly accept Your plans as my own.