A Fatherhood Lesson from Jerry Maguire
Back in 1996, the movie Jerry Maguire entered American culture with a bang. The film gave us famous catchphrases like “Show me the money!” and “You complete me.” But it also contains a deeper lesson worth taking to heart, especially as we approach Father’s Day.
Jerry Learns to Prize Friends and Family
Perhaps you remember the outline of the story. Sports agent Jerry Maguire writes a personal mission statement advocating for fewer clients so he can give better, more personalized attention to the ones he serves. At first, his colleagues praise the idea, but before long he is fired. The sports management industry finds his vision too threatening.
Even so, Jerry has started down a new path. He begins to embrace the philosophy of his mentor, Dicky Fox, who says, “The key to this business is personal relationships.”
Jerry starts over with Dorothy as his lone business partner and soon gets to know Dorothy’s young son, Ray. Ray bounds into Jerry’s life with odd facts (“Did you know the human head weighs eight pounds?”) and generous hugs. At first, Jerry is unsettled by the boy’s affection, but he is also drawn to it. He genuinely begins to love Ray and delight in who he is.
Jerry also appreciates how Dorothy believed in his vision and stood by him at his lowest moment. He thinks this might be love, but through several revealing scenes it becomes clear that it is not quite love. Not yet. Jerry does not love Dorothy in the same way his client, wide receiver Rod Tidwell, loves his wife Marcee. Midway through the movie, Dorothy observes, “On the surface, everything is fine. But we don’t have a great relationship.”
Throughout the story, we watch Jerry slowly grow toward his best self, becoming the man he always wanted to be. Eventually, after achieving renewed professional success, he realizes something important. Success means very little if there is no one to share it with. He has no one to share life with. At last, he comes to prize Dorothy, not simply for what she has done for him, but for who she is.
As Father’s Day approaches, I find myself asking, “How will I prize friends and family?”
In one of His parables, Jesus tells the story of a man who builds bigger barns to store up wealth for himself. He values possessions over relationships and productivity over God. Then, unexpectedly, his life comes to an end. He has accumulated much, but he has missed what matters most.
Jesus’ lesson is simple: “Be rich toward God.”
Prize God. Prize people.
May God grant us the grace to do just that.
