Take My Son

(Regardless of the religious implications, I thought
this a touching story.)

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 knockat 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 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 long time 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 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.

Author Unknown