How husbands and fathers can look to tomorrow, today

In the film, The Tomorrow War, the time-traveling husband and father (played by Chris Pratt) discovers when and how he will die, giving him a second luck in deciding how he wants to live his life.

Romans 14:7 offers sound wisdom: "For none of us lives for himself, and none of us dies for himself."

After reassessing how much his selfish choices will hurt and impact his family in the long run, he makes a bold decision to correct the old path he has followed. He decides to choose selflessness over selfishness and focuses on improving and improving the lives of his wife and daughter for the future.

Live without regrets

We recently learned of what appears to be the untimely passing of a close friend, considered by most to be too young for his life to end. It's natural to wonder when someone dies earlier than expected, if they had known in advance how soon their life would end, would they have lived differently?

Because many people think they have a lot of time to do the things they want to do, they often delay or procrastinate to focus on the things that are really important in life. life.

As a chaplain at the Hospice, my husband is regularly confronted with end-of-life regrets. He hears from and counsels countless people, both patients and family members, who, given a second chance, would live their lives differently by making choices that would benefit their loved ones more than themselves.

Unfortunately, there is deep regret for some who, at the end of their lives, realize that they have lived their lives selfishly for their own interests at the expense of those they love . On the other hand, individuals rarely regret what they have done for others, usually only wishing they had done more.

Watching movies like the Pratt movie and hearing end-of-life regrets from real people often gets us thinking about life choices, wondering how can we live life every day to , in the end, are we satisfied with our decisions? Here are three ways husbands and fathers can get started:

1. See others as more important than yourself

At the end of the film Pratt, nothing meant more to his character than his family. Traveling back in time, he saw where his life for himself ultimately led him and his family. He came to want to live sacrificially as Ephesians 5:25 describes: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her. »

His character learned how his choices and the paths he followed in life profoundly affected his family, with life-changing consequences. Although a fictionalized story, The Tomorrow War contains profound truths for husbands and fathers about caring for their wives and children, and examining long-term effects of their daily choices and decisions.

As my husband sits next to hundreds of dying people, what he typically sees is how most realize the invaluable value of their families above all else. they possess and of every achievement they have obtained. At the end of life, material possessions and achievements have lost their value, and nothing matters more to them than their family.

2. Give more than you take

Ultimately, Pratt's character gained a new understanding of what really matters, as well as a new appreciation for all that God had given him in life. He discovered that it's what you give in life that matters more than what you get.

He learned that what he invested in his family rather than in his own selfish pursuits had lasting value and brought more satisfaction not only to their lives, but to his as well. He discovered the impact of his daily decisions on his future and that of his family.

Philippians 2:3-4 encourages: “Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vanity. On the contrary, in humility value others above yourselves, caring not for your own interests, but each of you for the interests of others."

Furthermore, in 1 Timothy 6:18, the Apostle Paul explains that life is not about what we get, but about being rich in good deeds and giving generously to our family, our neighbors and those around us. .

Similarly, Jesus taught us that by doing for others, we are truly doing for Him. “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you called me in” (Matthew 25:35) .

At the end of life, what God is...