Post by Brooke on Dec 10, 2004 6:17:33 GMT -5
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, 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 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 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 every thing!"
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.
~Author Unknown~
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, 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 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 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 every thing!"
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.
~Author Unknown~
