Senior Sunrise

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’s, the Rembrandt’s. 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.

                                         Author Unknown

FOR  GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON,  WHO SO EVER BELIEVETH, SHALL HAVE ETERNAL LIFE….THAT’S  LOVE.