HENRY O. TANNER. The Thankful Poor. 1894. Oil on canvas
Henry Ossawa Tanner was one of the first black artists to
acquire an international reputation during his lifetime. Although, his name is
not a familiar household name, today he remains well-known in museums and academic
circles. One of his most popular paintings is "The Thankful Poor," which
features an elderly father and his little son seated at a table. There is no
fancy meat entree, no exotic vegetables , no mouth-watering potatoes, no delicious dessert; only one tiny dish of food for them to share. Yet, in spite of their limited
resources, their heads are bowed in earnest prayer to give thanks to God for
what they have.
When Tanner died, in 1937 at age 78, he was impoverished. In
1982 Mrs. Camelle Cosby purchased Tanner's oil painting for $400,000. What a
difference Tanner's life would have been if he had been alive to receive that
money. But the artist loved what he was doing so much, he was willing to make
the sacrifices and was thankful for his life even though he suffered.
Beloved, being thankful in hard times is not easy. It is
hard to give thanks in the midst of life's inequities; especially when bad
things happen to good people and you find yourself helpless and on the verge of
being hopeless. When things are not going our way, it is hard to give thanks.
When troubles come, we sometimes find it easier to complain to God rather than
give Him thanks for what we have.
This was the experience the people in Judah had in the book
of Joel. A plague of swarming locust was destroying their crops. They were an
agricultural community and depended heavily on the produce to sustain them
physically, socially and economically.
In addition, the plague impacted their spiritual life. Their
animals died from a lack of food; therefore the people could not make the
required sacrifice at the temple. The ritual sacrifice of an animal was an
offering to God and this distressed High Priest Joel. The temple worship had
become so dependent upon animal sacrifices that the people found it difficult
to praise God in other ways. It was hard for them to give thanks.
Instead of giving thanks, the people complained to God. Their
faith shifted to fatalism. Their courage changed to cynicism. Their hope went
on a holiday with not prayers and no songs. The people of God were about to
give up on their future because of the setbacks they had suffered.
Have you ever suffered from a serious setback: physical or
spiritual, family or social? Churches,
families, nations and communities are not exempt. Jesus never promised us that
we wouldn't have tribulations; however in these times when our faith is
challenged we, like the people of Judah find it hard to give thanks to God.
Yet we must follow the steps Priest Joel gave to the people
of Judah:
Repent and pray
Call a special meeting with the church
Return to the Lord your God
Upon the people of Judah's return to the Lord they were able
to get a meaningful perspective upon their crisis. They could see what was
going on in the midst of their crisis, how God was using their crisis to bring
them to their senses and seeking to prepare them for the Day of the Lord.
Beloved, remember when we have trials and tribulations, pain
and suffering, we must be reminded that God does not bring us through the
waters to drown us, but to save us and does not bring us through the fire to
burn us bout to purify us. He doesn't send every crisis, sometimes we bring it
upon ourselves. Yet, God can always use our setbacks as a set up for a
comeback. Therefore there are countless reasons to give thanks, even in the
midst of trouble: joy in his justice, glory in his grace, deliverance in his deeds.
He did it for the people of Judah, He'll do it for you.
Joel 2:21-27 (NIV) [21] Be not afraid, O land; be glad and
rejoice. Surely the LORD has done great things. [22]
Be not afraid, O wild animals, for the open pastures are becoming green. The trees
are bearing their fruit; the fig tree and the vine yield their riches. [23] Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your
God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you
abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before. [24]
The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new
wine and oil. [ 25] I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten--the great locust
and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm--my great army
that I sent among you. [26] You will have plenty
to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for
you; never again will my people be shamed. [ 27] Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my
people be shamed.
