There was a man who had a
son. This man owned the largest mansion that anyone had ever built,
filled with insurmountable treasure and wealth. He had promised this
mansion, filled with all of the treasure, to his son--his heir. The
father loved the son more than any of his possessions and the son loved
the father in the same way. They simply enjoyed being with one another,
taking daily walks together and talking about life. You see, the
father was very wise as well, and he wanted to son to share in his
wisdom. So the father and the son lived together, loving one another
and all the servants in their mansion.
Then one day, the father sent the son on a journey to invite more people into his mansion, because he had much more room and was planning to expand it, allowing more servants to live and work with him. The son encountered some evil men along the road and they robbed and killed him. The father heard of this and was grieved, and he decided to have an auction where he would sell all of the treasure and the mansion.
So people from all over gathered at this mansion on the day of the auction to see what beautiful, valuable stuff would be sold. People were so curious about what was in this mansion and were really itching to get their hands on the riches that were in it.
The auctioneer made an announcement that the auction would now begin, so everybody sat down on the edge of their seats, in eager expectation.
The first item was brought out and unveiled and a collective groan could be heard across the whole audience. What was under the sheet was a painting--it seemed older and somewhat faded. It was a portrait of the son, though not even that great of a portrait. One could tell that it was the son, but it was not the best likeness.
The people began to sneer and complain saying, "Bring out the good stuff!", " We want to see the REAL treasures," and " What is this?!"
"Let's start the bidding," the auctioneer announced. As the audience continued to complain, there was a man in the back of the crowd who quietly looked on, sheepishly reaching into the depths of his pocket. This man was a servant in the mansion, and he loved the son--he wanted that painting. He pulled out a crumpled $10 bill--all he had-- and raised his hand.
"Yes! The man in the back!" the auctioneer belted. Everyone looked at the servant questioning his resolve in wanting the crummy old painting. "Going once, going twice...sold!" The auctioneer's gavel hammered.
The auction workers then began to pack up the auction equipment, and the crowd began to shuffle and eventually everyone was in an uproar.
The auctioneer hammered the gavel again to quiet the crowd, then he spoke. "I was under strict instruction," said the auctioneer, "by the order of the owner of the mansion, whoever bought this portrait was to be given the mansion and everything it contains." Silence fell over the crowd. The servant looked at the painting and a tear fell from his eyes, though the memory of the son gave him great joy.
~~
The father had been looking for who trully loved his son. Are we looking to the Lord because we love His son and want to know Him, or are we looking to the Lord because we want His stuff?
Then one day, the father sent the son on a journey to invite more people into his mansion, because he had much more room and was planning to expand it, allowing more servants to live and work with him. The son encountered some evil men along the road and they robbed and killed him. The father heard of this and was grieved, and he decided to have an auction where he would sell all of the treasure and the mansion.
So people from all over gathered at this mansion on the day of the auction to see what beautiful, valuable stuff would be sold. People were so curious about what was in this mansion and were really itching to get their hands on the riches that were in it.
The auctioneer made an announcement that the auction would now begin, so everybody sat down on the edge of their seats, in eager expectation.
The first item was brought out and unveiled and a collective groan could be heard across the whole audience. What was under the sheet was a painting--it seemed older and somewhat faded. It was a portrait of the son, though not even that great of a portrait. One could tell that it was the son, but it was not the best likeness.
The people began to sneer and complain saying, "Bring out the good stuff!", " We want to see the REAL treasures," and " What is this?!"
"Let's start the bidding," the auctioneer announced. As the audience continued to complain, there was a man in the back of the crowd who quietly looked on, sheepishly reaching into the depths of his pocket. This man was a servant in the mansion, and he loved the son--he wanted that painting. He pulled out a crumpled $10 bill--all he had-- and raised his hand.
"Yes! The man in the back!" the auctioneer belted. Everyone looked at the servant questioning his resolve in wanting the crummy old painting. "Going once, going twice...sold!" The auctioneer's gavel hammered.
The auction workers then began to pack up the auction equipment, and the crowd began to shuffle and eventually everyone was in an uproar.
The auctioneer hammered the gavel again to quiet the crowd, then he spoke. "I was under strict instruction," said the auctioneer, "by the order of the owner of the mansion, whoever bought this portrait was to be given the mansion and everything it contains." Silence fell over the crowd. The servant looked at the painting and a tear fell from his eyes, though the memory of the son gave him great joy.
~~
The father had been looking for who trully loved his son. Are we looking to the Lord because we love His son and want to know Him, or are we looking to the Lord because we want His stuff?
No comments:
Post a Comment