WHAT A GREAT STORY; am short of a title for it!

Someone shared this story with me and I decided to pen it here on steemit. It is really a great story. Take a moment to read it; I pray it will make your day.

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 their great collections.

When the Vietnam conflict broke out, the son went to war. He was very courageous and died in battle while rescuing another soldier. When the father was notified about the son's death, he was deeply grieved.

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 up 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 son's eyes on the portrait 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.

A few months later, the man died.

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 great 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 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. He so loved the young man whose portrait is presented for bidding and really adored that portrait and would pay anything he would to have it. But being a poor amongst rich bidders, he considered himself not worthy to participate in the bidding. "I'll give $10 for the painting" he declared, breaking the long silence.

"We have $10, who will bid $20?" The autioner asked.

"Give it to him for $10. Let's proceed to the real deal." The crowd shouted.

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 real collections!"

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over."

"What about the other paintings?" Asked the audience.

"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. He answered.

The man who took the son gets everything

God gave His son over 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?"

Whoever takes the Son gets everything!

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son that whosoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16 (Bible)

Please share your moral dividends from the story. Do well to Resteem to your followers. One Love!