Journey of Grief

Missing Sandie, Day 1: The value of a person’s life is not found in material things, houses, cars, bank accounts, or net worth; the value of a person’s life is found in who he or she believes in (i.e., Jesus Christ) and how he or she loves like Him. Jesus Christ owned nothing during His 33-year incarnation and demonstrated the greatest love. Jesus said to his disciples: John 15: ¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

Sandie loved like Jesus Christ with the “greater love”. She was His friend and did what He commanded. I kept my marriage vow. I kept my promise to Sandie: “for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.” The only regret I have is that I didn’t say “I love you” more often. There were times during her long disease and the stress of caretaking that I was tempted to quit my vow, but the temptation was easy to resist. I knew if I broke my promise to her then I would live in regret, selfishness, and anger the rest of my life in this world. I would never be able to love like Jesus Christ. I loved her for 38 years and love doesn’t break a promise. God is the prime example of promise keeping and the Bible records it.