Daily Encouragement For February 07:

A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art. They had everything in their collection, from Picasso's to Raphael's. They would often sit together and admire the great works of art.

When the Gulf war broke out, the son went to war, he was very courageous and died in battle while saving 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 that your son saved with 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. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. "Oh, no sir, I could never repay enough for what your son did for me. It's a gift."

The father hung the portrait over the mantle in his living room, 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 art works he had collected. The man died a few months later and there was a great auction announced for them. Hundreds of people gathered to the event, many of them influential, excited over having an opportunity to purchase one for these valuable paintings for their collection. The first painting was on the platform, it was the painting of the son.

The auctioneer pounded his gavel. "We will start the bidding of this painting. Who will bid for this painting?" There was silence. Then a voice in the back of the room shouted. "We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one." "Will someone bid for this painting? The auctioneer continued, “Who will start the bidding? $100, $200?" Another voice shouted angrily. "We didn't come to purchase this painting, we came to see the Van Goghs and 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 bid $10 for the painting."

Being a poor man, it was all he could afford. "We have $10, who will bid $20? Someone shouted, "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, going twice, SOLD for $10!" A man sitting on the second row shouted, “Now get on with the rest of the bidding!"

The auctioneer laid down his gavel. "I'm sorry, the auction is over." "What about the paintings?" He answered and said, "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 the first painting was sold. 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!"

Much like the auctioneer, God has a question for all, “The Son, who will take the Son?” Because you see, 2,000 years ago, Jesus Christ gave His life to save lives. He purchased our souls, but He only redeems those who take Him as His. Whoever takes the Son gets God's estate and everything else.

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” - Romans 10:9-13.