IF YOU DON'T HAVE LOVE ...

"My work" is thought provoking. I work for God with people. No two weeks are alike. God constantly increases my insights, and persons are never alike. Combining the work of our unique God with the needs of unique people makes each week unique.

Last week cancer claimed Stan Spainhour's physical body. His friends would tell us quickly that cancer never claimed Stan's life. He refused to allow cancer to take charge of his life. His faith and his attitude in the last fourteen months were a challenge and inspiration. Though he was very sick, he refused to stop being Stan.

Last week I was privileged to be with those who loved him in Fort Smith. I was privileged to be with those who loved him in Witchita Falls, Texas. Even after death, Stan provided me the time and opportunity for reflection from an unusual perspective.

In my reflection an obvious truth stood out. If you do not have love, you do not have anything. The abundance of love makes a person wealthy. "Things" cannot make a person wealthy. We leave "things" behind. We take love with us.

Love's wealth is unique. You must have love to have love's wealth. You cannot buy love. You cannot force love to exist. You cannot demand love. You cannot "fake" having love. You cannot borrow love. The only way to have love is to give love. The more love that you share the more love that you receive.

As unique as love's wealth is, people know it exists. People are starved for love! They prize love's wealth! When they do not have love and its wealth [and many do not!], people go to unusual extremes to find and possess them. Do you doubt that? If you don't have love, what would you give for it? If you have it, for what would you sell it?

The greatest gift you can give is love. The greatest power you have to alter life is found in your power to love. The greatest treasure you will leave behind is your love. Nothing contains the power or the influence of love. And every person has the ability to love!

While love is this earth's greatest power, it is also this earth's most neglected reality. Why should that surprise us? Love is from God, and this world neglects everything that comes from God. Do you want to increase love in your life? Get closer to God.

Now abide faith, hope, and love, these three; but the greatest of these is love (1 Corinthians 13:13).

David Chadwell

West-Ark Church of Christ, Fort Smith, AR
Bulletin Article, 19 March 2000

 Link to next article

 Link to other Writings of David Chadwell