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 this 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 somebody bid for this painting?
Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?'
Another voice angrily.. 'We didn't come to see this painting. We came
to see the Van Gogh's, 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.
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 2,000 years ago to die on the 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.
