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 anddied 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 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 2,000 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.