The relief of suffering is the great goal of medicine. That physicians give up on suffering when they can do nothing about the underlying condition is one of the contemporary criticisms of medicine. Yet even in irremediable suffering there is something noble, to which physicians should attend.

Caregivers easily see in illness the wages of sin, but the better Biblical guide is the model of God's loving, covenantal commitment to His people in spite of their recurring weaknesses. Although it is sometimes appropriate to warn patients that their habits jeopardize their health, to blame the patient when health is lost may be to fail to offer care precisely when it is most needed.

According to an old saying, "We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." In 22 brief and insightful essays, Richard B. Gunderman shows us that the key to more rewarding giving can be found by looking beyond mere donations of money. Exploring the ethical core of sharing and examining its importance for both those who receive and those who give, here is a book to deepen our understanding of what it means (...) to share. (shrink)