| THE SON
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works
of art. They had everything in their collection from
Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together
and admire the great works of art.
When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went
to war. He was very courageous and died in battle
while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified
and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there
was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the
door with a large package in his hands. He said, "Sir,
you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your
son gave his life. He saved many lives that day, and
he was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck
him in the heart, and he died instantly. He often
talked about you, and your love for art." The
young man held out his package. "I know this
isn't much. I'm not really a great artist, but I think
your son would have wanted you to have this."
The father opened the package. It was a portrait
of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in
awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality
of his son in the painting. The father was so drawn
to the eyes that his own eyes welled up with tears.
He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for
the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay
what your son did for me. It's a gift."
The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every
time visitors came to his home, he took them to see
the portrait of his son before he showed them any
of the other great works he had collected.
The man died a few months later. There was to be
a great auction of his paintings. Many influential
people gathered, excited over seeing the great paintings
and having an opportunity to purchase one for their
collection. On the platform sat the painting of the
son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will
start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who
will bid for this picture?" There was silence.
Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, "We
want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one."
But the auctioneer persisted. "Will someone bid
for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100,
$200?" Another voice shouted angrily, "We
didn't come to see this painting. We came to see the
Van Goghs, the Rembrandts. Get on with the real bids!"
But still the auctioneer continued, "The son!
The son! Who'll take the son?"
Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room.
It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son.
"I'll give $10 for the painting." Being
a poor man, it was all he could afford. "We have
$10, who will bid $20?" "Give it to him
for $10. Let's see the masters." "$10 is
the bid, won't someone bid $20?" The crowd was
becoming angry. They didn't want the picture of the
son. They wanted the more worthy investments for their
collections. The auctioneer pounded the gavel. "Going
once, twice, SOLD FOR $10!"
A man sitting on the second row shouted, "Now,
let's get on with the collection!" The auctioneer
laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction
is over." "What about the paintings?"
"I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this
auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the
will. I was not allowed to reveal that stipulation
until this time. Only the painting of the son would
be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit
the entire estate, including the paintings. The man
who took the son gets everything!"
God gave his Son 2000 years ago to die on a cruel
cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today
is, "The Son, the Son, who'll take the Son?"
Because you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything.
|
