"“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 Viet Nam 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 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 man and offered to pay him but the soldier replied, ‘I could never repay what your son did for me…it is a gift’. The father hung the portrait over his mantle and when visitors came, he took them to see his son before he showed them any of the other great works of art he had collected.
A few months later, the man died. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, hoping to purchase a famous painting for their collection. First, on the platform, was 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?
Someone 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 biding. $100.00 - $200.00?? Another voice shouted angrily, ‘We did not come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts…” Get on with the real bid’s’.
But still the auctioneer continued, “The son…the son…who will 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 $10.00 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. ‘We have $10.00, who will bid $20.00?’
‘Let’s see the Masters!’ $10.00 dollars is bid, won’t someone bid $20.00? The crowd was becoming angry. They did not 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 $10.00.”
A man sitting in the second row shouted,” Great, now, let’s get on with the collection’. The auctioneer laid down his gavel and said, ‘I’m sorry but the auction is over.’ ‘What…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. Whoever bought the painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings. The man who took the son gets everything!” ( author unknown)
God gave His Son 2,000 years ago to die on the cruel cross.
Much like the auctioneer, His message today is,
“The Son, the Son, who will take the Son?”
Because you see…whoever takes the Son gets everything!
~Jackie Johnson - I am a former tribal missionary to the Kuna Indians on the Colombian border in Central America. Fluent in several languages, my husband and I currently pastor a Spanish-speaking church in Southern California. My passion is mentoring and equipping dedicated young women for life, marriage, motherhood, and beyond. I am the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three Princesses and four young Knights.
