William Borden was heir to the palatial Borden Dairy Estate, a company worth several million (a very large amount for the early 1900s). To put it in perspective, when Borden graduated high school, he was already a millionaire. For his graduation his parents gave him a trip around the world. He traveled Asia, the Middle East, and Europe.

While the trip was assumed to be a relaxing reward for his hard work, it gave William a burden for the lost and hurting people of the world. While on his trip, he wrote home, "I'm going to give my life to prepare for the mission field." When he made the decision to give his life to missions, he wrote in his Bible: "No Reserves."

After graduating from Yale University, William turned down several high-paying job offers and pleas from his family to return to the family business. Again he entered two words into his Bible: "No Retreats."

After completing studies at Princeton Seminary, Borden traveled to China to work with the Muslims. His journey first took him to Egypt for extended training, but while he was there, he contracted cerebral meningitis and died within a month.

What a waste of a life some may say. Surely he could've done more for missions had he stayed home and committed part of his wealth to the cause. Yet William Borden never thought his life was a waste as is evidenced by the last entry in his Bible under "No Reserves" and "No Retreats": "No Regrets."

Regret is the one thing no person wishes to gain in their lifetime. When our lives are done and we face death, we all desire to look back on our lives with no regret. But how can we do that? The world tells us to "live life to the fullest" to avoid regret, yet God tells us to live every day for Him.

One man who had deep regret in life was King David. He had committed adultery with Bathsheeba and paid for it for the rest of his life. One result was the waywardness and eventual tragic death of his son Absalom.

David grieved for his son's death and even wished he could have been the one punished with death. "Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly" (Psalm 31:9). David discovered too late how much his family meant to him.

As parents, one of the biggest regrets we can have is seeing our children suffer the consequences of our sins. The decisions we make now affect more people that just us. Don't overlook the long-lasting affects of sin.

When the devil approaches you with sin, ask yourself this question-"Is this worth losing my family?" Take David's life as a prime example of how sin reaches past your life and affects everyone around you. David realized too late the tragic consequences of sin. Don't buy into the devil's short-sighted appeal, but value your family more than your temporary satisfaction. by Dr. Paul Chappell