Until the 19th century, deaths of infants and children were commonplace worldwide.
Poor nourishment left most people stunted by today’s standards. Infectious diseases such as small pox, measles, and tuberculosis decimated entire communities and left many people scarred and crippled. Life expectancy was low throughout the world.
This overall picture has changed rapidly and dramatically since the mid-19th century. The medical community brought many infectious diseases under control, and even eradicated smallpox; better nutrition and overall health conditions lowered mortality rates for everyone, especially children.
Life spans increased dramatically, too. After 1840, the upward trend in life spans proceeded at a surprisingly sustained and uniform rate of increase of 2.5 years per decade for the next 160 years,” reports Priorities in Health, a World Bank publication. “By 1900, the highest average life expectancy just surpassed 60 years; by 2000, it exceeded 80 years.”
People are living longer these days. But no one lives forever. A Japanese poet once wrote: “If only, when one heard that Old Age was coming, one could bolt the door, answer “Not at home” and refuse to meet him!”
A few die from accidents but most people’s lives are taken by disease. No human being is immune from getting sick. Even doctors themselves are not spared from health problems.
Some people who are ill rely on faith to heal them. That’s why there is such thing as faith healing. Faith is believing on things man cannot yet get the assurance that he will be better the following day.
“We live by faith or we do not live at all,” said Harold Walker. “Either we venture – or we vegetate. If we venture, we do so by faith simply because we cannot know the end of anything at its beginning.”
The explanation of William A. Ward brings the subject to the highest level. “Faith is continuing to run the race, assured that you will get your second wind,” he wrote. “Faith is focusing on God’s promises, and cropping out the world’s discouragements. Faith is confidently expecting miracles from the Source and Promiser of miracles.”
Others put their trust on hope that their disease will soon vanish. “There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something better tomorrow,” said Orison Marden.
C. Neil Strait offers this statement why people should not lose hope. “Take from a man his wealth, and you hinder him; take from him his purpose, and you slow him down. But take from man his hope, and you stop him.
He can go on without wealth, and even without purpose, for a while. But he will not go on without hope.”
There are also sick people who consider love as the ultimate healer. A noted doctor has listed several emotions which produce disease in human beings. Heading the list is fear, followed by frustration, rage, resentment, hatred, jealousy, envy, self-centeredness, and ambition. The one and only antidote that can save men and women from these, he says, is love.
“Love cures people,” pointed out Carl Menninger, “both the ones who give it and the ones who receive it.”
Illness, like war, “is 10 percent fear and pain, and 90 percent frustrating boredom,” said Cronelia and George Kay.
More often than not, doctors are to be reminded that love is indeed the greatest healer of all time. The Bible tells us: “For God so loved the world that He gave His Only Begotten Son that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have an everlasting life.”
Dr. Hans Diehl, when he was still the president of Lifestyle Medicine Institute in Loma Linda, California, wrote a very timely piece – following what was written in I Corinthians 13-1:13.
“I may be a famous scientist or practicing physician, and display in my office many diplomas and degrees.
I may be considered an excellent teacher and a convincing speaker. But if I have no love, my words are worth no more than a noisy going or a clanging bell.
“I may have the gifts of an outstanding clinician, making difficult diagnosis, and understanding all mysteries of the human body. And I may communicate well to my patients to enable them to make better lifestyle choices.
But if I have no love, I am nobody.
“I may invest all my money to build the best facilities and purchase the best equipment. I may provide the best staff to treat my patients. I may drove all my time to their care, even to the point of neglecting my family or myself.
But I have not love, it profits me nothing.
“Love is nature’s medicine. It is natural and does not depress the immune system, but enhances it. Love can be combined with many remedies; it is an outstanding catalyst. Love relieves pain and maintains life at its best.
“Love is tolerated by anyone, never causing allergic reactions or intolerance. New medicines come and go.
What was considered good yesterday may be useless today. What is considered good today may be worthless tomorrow. But love has passed the test of time; it will be effective always.
“We now understanding things only partially, and new therapies are often only experimental, for our gifts of knowledge and inspired discoveries are only partial. When all things will be understood, only then we will recognize the true value of love.
“Love is the finest agent to create rapport between patients, relatives, and friends. It will help us to act not as children, but as mature adults.
“Today, many truths appear as blurred images to health professionals. We still don’t understand how things of the Spirit work to maintain life. But one day, we shall see all things very clearly.
“Still there remains three basic remedies: faith, hope, and love. The greatest of these is love.”
