January 31, 2023
Weekly Reflections – Peanuts
You never know how far a small investment might go. I recently discovered a small cardboard box full of old stationery and cards that have never been used but were tucked away in a forgotten far corner of my desk. Hiding among the papers was a little card with this on the back. It had been written by someone named Drue Duke and published by Guideposts Ministries. And it spoke to me many years after being placed in such a humble hiding place.
Years ago [1902], when Martha Berry was struggling to get the Berry School started in Rome, Georgia, she appealed to Henry Ford for a contribution. He reached into his pocket and gave her a dime.
Instead of being discouraged at the size of the gift, Miss Betty, determined to use it for the school’s good. She bought a package of seed peanuts with it. The seeds were planted and tended, and they yielded a large crop of peanuts which Miss Berry sold.
She again called on Mr. Ford. “Here’s the dime you gave me last year,” she said, handing him the coin. Then she told him of the return she had realized from the meager investment.
Mr. Ford was so impressed with her perseverance that in the years that followed, he gave millions of dollars to the school.
I have wasted many hours fretting over things I don’t possess – talents, money, material goods. And then I hear about someone like Miss Berry and I realize that it is not important what or how much I have. What really counts is how I use that which I do have.
It is my view that, like Berry College, NationsUniversity has successfully used its meager resources over the years. As a result, one might say that its students, spread across the globe, are the “crop” that has accrued from this small investment, to the praise and glory of God. And with introspection, we ask, “What crop are we yielding?”
Blessings and peace,
Chaplain Allen
chaplain@nationsu.edu
chaplainscorner.org
P.S. Berry College is a private liberal arts college in the Mount Berry community adjacent to Rome, Georgia. It was founded by Martha Berry in 1902 and enhanced by a generous gift from Henry Ford.
Disclaimer statement: Please note that the opinions expressed herein are those of the Chaplain alone and are based on his personal understanding of scripture and how God works in our lives.
Read more Reflections: Chaplain’s Corner