[CS-FSLUG] Always Take the Son

[Fred A. Miller]

This is great, take a moment to read it, it will make your day! The
ending will surprise you. 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, 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 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

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