Lesson 168: Whoever Gets The Son

Kentucky Chaplain David Chaltas

There is a beautiful story about an extremely rich and powerful man. Being a billionaire, he had in his possession priceless art pieces that would rival any nation's. His passion for his paintings was only rivaled by the love he had for his only son. His son meant everything to him and everything that he possessed would go to the Son upon the father’s death. This is the way of love.

World War II broke out and though the father begged the young man not to go, the son thought it his duty to fight the Nazis holocaust. He bid his father adieu and after a tearful fairway, the young man went off to war. Soon he was a seasoned veteran and well respected among his peers for his bravery. Everyone knew that his father could have paid his way out of service but they also knew the love and respect that was held by the father for the son. During a terrible battle, the young man saw one of his comrades trapped in an open field, as the enemy approached. Disregarding his own personal safety the young man rushed to the aid of his friend and dragged him back to safety of the trenches. Just as they looked at each other with a smile of relieve, a grenade fell amongst the men. Without a thought the young man fell upon the grenade and was instantly killed by the explosion, thus saving his comrades in the foxhole.

The father received word and was devastated. He mourned the loss of his only son and could not be comforted. When the war ended, a soldier that had known his son visited the aging father. The father asked the young man to come in and they began talking about his son’s death. The young man told him of the deeds of his son and how brave he was. He started talking of the day in which his son died and became visibly emotional, with tears streaming from his eyes, as he began sharing with the father the moment of his son’s death.

“Your son, was safe in the confines of a foxhole when he saw a wounded soldier lying exposed to the enemy. Without regard to his own safety, he bolted from the foxhole and dragged the soldier out of harms way. The enemy lobbed a hand grenade into the trench where several soldiers were seeking shelter and he immediately through himself upon the projectile, without thought of his own life. He died as he lived, protecting his friends. I was the wounded soldier who he came to and I was the closest to the grenade,” he said, as he shook unashamedly with the reflections of the experience.

“I am an artist by trade and drew a portrait of your son as I remember him and wish to give it to you,” He said. The young man with trembling hands unwrapped a dirty rolled up canvas, which had been with him during battle and there in paint was a close resemblance of his son bending over the young artist offering him help. The father was filled with emotion as he embraced the young man thanking him over and over again for the gift. The father offered him payment but the young man simply looked at him and stated that his life was the price paid by his son.

The old man had it mounted in the most beautiful of frames and placed it highest among his treasured art collection. The old man died of what some say was grief, and a great auction of his estate was held. Several hundred wealthy people attended and all wished to bid on the priceless art collection. The bidding began and to the dismay of the crowd, the first piece on the auction block was the soldier’s rendition of the son’s effort to save him. The matting was great and the frame exquisite but the artwork left much to be desired. The crowd began mumbling to themselves and some said that they could buy the frame and use it for pieces in their possession. The auctioneer began and the bidding was slow, starting with $100 and going up to $500. The crowd continued to be impatient and someone yelled out for the good pieces to be brought out; they weren’t interested in junk.

Now the old butler that had been so faithful to the wealthy man truly loved the son and wanted above all things the picture of the boy he helped raise. He had not received his entitlement from the estate at that point and only had $893.00 to his name. He said an earnest prayer for the portrait and offered his last bid of $893 to the auctioneer. The rich audience laughed under their cuffs and looked pointedly down at the butler, but thought this would end the nonsense so that the real auction could begin.

“Going once, going twice, SOLD for $893!” exclaimed the auctioneer, striking his gavel briskly against the podium. The audience was relieved, as greed danced in their eyes, for now the priceless relics would be at their bidding. But the auctioneer slowly closed his books and simply stated that concluded the auction.

The crowd was aghast. How could this be? What about the priceless works of art? Slowly the auctioneer pulled from his pocket the last wish of the father, which he had placed in his will after his son’s death and visit by the soldier.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the auction is indeed concluded. You see it was the wish of the owner that whoever gets the son, gets it all!”

Whoever gets the Son, gets it all! Peace, joy, happiness, love, forgiveness, and salvation are the gifts that follow once you get the Son. All gifts; all treasures come from the Son. Once you seek Him and ask for the gift of salvation, you receive it all. The treasures of heaven are waiting. What is your bid? Wishing to purchase only the Son’s portrait, I remain your obedient servant, The Old General