A young man was getting ready to graduate from
college. For many months he had admired a beautiful sports car in a
dealer's showroom and knowing his father could well afford
it, he told him that was all he wanted.
As
Graduation Day approached, the young man awaited signs that his father
had purchased the car. Finally, on the morning of his graduation, his
father called him into his private study. His father told him how proud he
was to have such a fine son and told him how much he loved him. He handed his
son a beautifully wrapped gift box. Curious, but somewhat disappointed,
the young man opened the box and found a lovely, leather-bound Bible with the young man's name embossed in gold. Angry, he
raised his voice to his father and said "With all your money, you give me
a Bible?" and stormed out of the house, leaving the Bible.
Many
years passed and the young man was very successful in business. He had a
beautiful home and wonderful family, but realized his father was very old
and thought perhaps he should go to him. He had not seen him
since that graduation day. Before he could make arrangements, he received
a telegram telling him his father had passed away and willed all of his
possessions to his son. He needed to come home immediately and take care of
things.
When
he arrived at his father's house, sudden sadness and regret filled his heart.
He began to search through his father's important papers and saw the still new
Bible, just as he had left it years ago. With tears, he opened the
Bible and began to turn the pages. And as he did, a car key dropped from
the back of the Bible. It had a tag with the dealer's name, the same
dealer who had the sports car he had desired. On the tag was the date of his
graduation, and the words PAID IN FULL.