I’m not religious by any means, but this morning I received a Christian story in the
mailbox titled, “Who’ll Take The…
Son”.
For whatever reason, it really resonated with me.
I’m not sure which religious group created it as there is no contact information on the
pamphlet, so I can’t credit anyone I’m sorry.
Anyway, please enjoy, “Who’ll Take the Son?”.
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art.
They had everything in their collection, from Picasso to Raphael, and often stood together,
admiring the works of the great artists.
When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war.
Several months later, the father received the heartbreaking news that his only son had
been killed in battle while rescuing another soldier.
One day, there was a knock at his door.
A young man stood with a large package in his hands.
He said, “Sir, you don't know me, but I am the soldier for whom your own son gave
his life.
He was carrying me to safety when a bullet hit him, and he died instantly.
He often talked about you, and your love for art.”
The young man held out his package.
“I'm not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.”
Opening the package, the father’s eyes welled up with tears as he saw how the young man
had captured the personality of his son in the painted portrait.
He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture.
“Oh, no sir,” the young man replied.
“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, and an auction of his art collection was arranged.
Many influential people gathered, excited over the prospect of seeing the great paintings
and the opportunity of purchasing one.
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 shouted.
“We want to see the famous paintings.
Skip that one.”
But the auctioneer repeated, “Will someone bid for this painting?
Who will start the bidding?
$100?
$200?”
Another voice shouted angrily, “We didn't come to see that painting.
We came to see the Van Goghs, the Rembrandts.
Get on with the real bids!”
But still the auctioneer persisted: “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.
Going twice.
SOLD for $10!”
A man sitting in 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,” the auctioneer replied.
“When I was asked to conduct this auction, I was told of a stipulation in the will that
was not to be revealed until this time.
Only the painting of the son was to be auctioned.
Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the collection.
The man who took ‘the son’ gets everything!”
Nearly 2000 years ago, God gave His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, 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!
He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
~ 1 John 5:12.