June 27, 2025 - Good Morning! It’s Friday, June 27.
In the summer of 1890, my favorite painter made the fateful decision to take his own life. The life of Vincent Van Gogh had been short, sad, and troubled. But, during his 37 years he managed to produce over 2000 paintings. How many did he sell? Only one. Only one. In 2017, a painting by Van Gogh sold at auction for 81 million dollars. His most famous work, “The Starry Night”, is hanging in the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. I had the opportunity to see it a few years ago. It will never be sold, but, if it was, art dealers have estimated it might go as high as a billion dollars.
The phrase “starving artist” is a cliche because it is so often reality - talented people who are unable to support themselves through their talent, who live their lives unacknowledged, unsung, and unvalued. Emily Dickinson, considered today to be one of America’s greatest poets, published only 10 poems in her lifetime. Albert Einstein called Galileo the “father of science”. But Galileo spent the last 10 years of his life in prison because of his controversial views. And Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, thought by many to be the greatest composer in history, died bankrupt, and was buried in a pauper’s grave.
Talent is often unappreciated. Good work sometimes goes unnoticed. Life is not always fair. As Christians, we are human, and so we experience moments when we feel unacknowledged, unsung, unvalued. The Apostle Paul certainly must have faced feelings like these from time to time. He was dogged by false teachers who tried to damage his reputation. He was criticized by his own people, the Jews, for his missionary work. And he was persecuted, and eventually executed, by the Roman Empire for standing up for Christ.
Here’s what Paul says to us today. “Whatever you do, work heartily - as for the Lord - and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive your inheritance as your reward.”
Meet you back here on Monday,
David
cindertex50@yahoo.com
P.S. - Join me next week for a four-part patriotic series leading to the 4th of July.
