A wealthy man and his son travelled the world together collecting priceless paintings by Van Gogh, Monet, and many other masters. Tragically, the son died at war while rescuing others. Distraught and lonely, the old man dreaded the upcoming Christmas day.

Christmas morning, a young soldier knocked on his door and said, “I’m a friend of your son. I’m one of the ones he rescued.” Then the soldier presented a picture he had painted of the son. Though the picture lacked genius, the brokenhearted father saw the features of his precious son and immediately valued this painting above all the masterpieces in his home. Every day, the father gazed at the portrait and told his housekeeper of his great love for it.

When the father died, the art world buzzed with excitement over the sale of his extraordinary art collection. The first item offered was the painting of the son, but no one in the self-important crowd would bid on the amateurish portrait. The auctioneer insisted that the terms of the will required the portrait must be sold before any other paintings could be offered. Finally, the housekeeper, tears streaming down her cheeks, said to the auctioneer, “May I pay ten dollars for it? That is all the money I have. I knew the son, and I knew how much the father treasured that portrait.” The auctioneer said, “The bid is ten dollars. Going once, going twice, gone,” and the gavel fell.

The auctioneer then announced that the auction was over. “What do you mean?” said the stunned audience. “There must be hundreds of millions of dollars of art here.” The auctioneer replied, “It is very simple. According to the will of the father, whoever takes the son, gets it all.”

Like the art collectors, not everyone can see the real value of a relationship with Jesus. John 1:11 tells us that Jesus came to His own but His own received Him not. They did not accept the gift of God’s Son, a gift that brings with it all the blessings and love of God.

If you are not intentional about recognizing and receiving the Son, you have nothing, and there will be no negotiation of God’s terms. God’s Son may have been born in the humblest of circumstances in a manger in Bethlehem, but He is coming back in power and glory.

Prayer: Father, thank You for sending Your Son. I humbly receive Him as my Savior, my righteousness, my peace. Thank You for the promise that He is coming back one day. I pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

“And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am” (John 14:3).

Check out more from Dr. Michael Youssef, here!