He Loved the Son

“And the glory which Thou hast given Me I have given to them; that they may be one, just as We are one; I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be perfected in unity, that the world may know that Thou didst send Me, and didst love them, even as Thou didst love Me.” John 17:22-23

It is an often told story, but its moral points up a great truth. There was an extremely wealthy man who possessed vast treasures of art. The man had one son who was an ordinary boy, and who passed away in late adolescence.

Having loved the lad deeply, the sorrowing father died of a broken heart only a few weeks later. The father’s will provided that everything would be sold by auction. Strangely, the father stipulated that an oil painting of his son was to be the first item offered by the auctioneer.

Large crowds came to bid on the widely reputed collection of art. In keeping with the proviso of the will, the boy’s portrait was first help up for bids. No one cared about the deceased boy. Not until several moments had passed, did an old servant, who had always loved the boy, placed a seventy-five cent bid. The picture was at once sold to the servant, there being no further bids registered.

Then the dramatic moment came. The sale was stopped - as the will had further provided that anyone who loved the son enough to buy his portrait should receive everything in the father’s house.

Little did he understand what was his because he loved the son, and it is also true of us. Little did we understand just what salvation meant to us when we came to Christ.

As Paul prayed in Eph 1:18-19 “I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. These are in accordance with the working of the strength of His might.” This I pray for each of us to understand.