Take my 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 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 Rembrandt's
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 over 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!
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON,
WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE...THAT'S LOVE.
Everyone was in tears, and the skinny boy came and thanked
the big boy, "you helped me even though I stole from you, thanks"
