Carol Burnett Shares Her Favorite Bible Verse: ‘The Good Lord [Gave] Me An Unmistakable Push’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Carol Burnett has had a long career as a beloved comedian and actress, but it would not have been possible without the kindness of a stranger.
Burnett, a student at UCLA, was attending a party and attempting to sneak some food home in her purse. A man approached her and praised her for a performance she had given earlier that night.
He asked what she wanted to do and Burnett shared that she hoped to perform onstage in New York. He asked her why she didn’t pursue that dream and the young actress replied that she simply didn’t have the money.
This stranger offered to loan her the money — on three conditions. Firstly, she had to repay the loan within five years if possible. Secondly, she could never share the man’s name with anyone. Lastly, she had to help someone in a similar situation in the future.
Burnett agreed and her life was changed forever.
She moved to New York, quickly started working as an actress, and soon became a star. Burnett kept her promise and never revealed her benefactor’s name, but she has talked about that moment.
“He never told me his reasons for helping me in the manner he did,” the actress shared. “But as the years have gone by, I’ve been able to unravel the mystery of this man, at least to my own satisfaction, and in the process, I’ve discovered a powerful spiritual principle to use in my own life.”
While reading the Bible, Burnett said she “stumbled upon the key clue” in the sixth chapter of the book of Matthew.
She said, “Suddenly, some verses seemed to leap out of the page: ‘When you give a gift to a beggar, don’t shout about it as the hypocrites do…When you do a kindness to someone, do it secretly…And your Father Who knows all secrets will reward you’” (Matthew 6:2-4).
These verses are now Burnett’s favorite passages of Scripture and she believes the man who lent her the money was following Jesus’ message.
“I was convinced that the man was sincere,” she concluded. “And I believed, furthermore, that the good Lord was giving me, Carol Burnett, a strong and unmistakable push.”
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
