The artist is named J D Kelly. He was Canadian and lived from 1862-1958. Many of the subjects of his paintings were from the War of 1812.
This image takes me back to my childhood. We spent many summers and Christmases in the High Sierra Mountains in Northern California. My mother’s father had built a cabin during the depression on forest service property and it was full of nostalgic stuff from before I was born. There were calendars in each room from different years, all of them expired. But they adorned the otherwise bare walls with Coca Cola Girls, Pipe Tobacco Tins, and Sportsman’s Scenes of hunting and fishing. That on one level is why I like this picture. It reminds me of those calendars from those happy days.
On another level, and one that makes me ponder deeply, I hear the words of Jesus as I look at the oxen. In Matthew 11:28-30 “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Jesus tells us about his heart. It is lowly and gentle. And he asks us, come to him, take his yoke, and learn from him.
Driving a team of oxen is a lost art today. There are a few associations of enthusiasts that compete in pulling events, but beyond that the tractor has taken over. But as I look at this picture I see that the flourishing and prosperity of the family is directly related to the team of oxen. With them they traveled to this place, cleared the land, plowed their field and are now harvesting their crop. This was how my grandparents and great-grandparents lived.
On a spiritual level this painting is a metaphor of relationships. There is a relationship within the team of oxen. One of them is the lead ox. There is a relationship between the team, the farmer, and his family. In order for this family to be successful in their work they need the team. So then if Jesus bids us to come, take up the yoke, and learn of him that makes him the lead ox. Our task is to wear the yoke he gives us. To learn of him while wearing the yoke is easy as we do exactly what he does because we are connected. When the lead ox put his head down so does the other. When the lead ox moves in any direction so does the other. The ox that follows learns to take instructions from the yoke and movement is then in concert. So we take our instructions from our Lord and as we submit to him teamwork is achieved. So then relationship to my family, my church, is one of being yoked to my Lord. And the purpose is to provide flourishing and prosperity. I hear people in the church complain about their pastor. Why doesn’t he do this or that. Why isn’t it like this or whatever. And I wonder, don’t they see that their pastor needs a team? The work of ministry in the church is not done by the pastor alone. It requires each of us to take up our yokes and pull together.
