Graduation Day is Here, Now What?

So, you’re graduating.  You’re done with college.  Congratulations!!

And now?

Well, chances are, you are now feeling the pressure: What next? 

Here’s the typical list: Get a job.  Pay off your student loans.  Start your career track.  Go on to grad school.  Get married and start a family.

“Whoa!  Slow down,” you say, “Let’s not move too fast here.  I’m still young.  I’ve got time.”  This is true.  You are still quite young yet.

What you’d really like to do is make your grand entrance into society and let the world know that you’ve arrived: “Look people.  I’m here.  I’m smart.  I’m talented.  And I’m well educated.  Need I mention that I am also young, imaginative and creative, and full of energy?  Discover me now!”  The sad truth is that, despite all that you have going for you, the world just doesn’t seem to care very much, does it.

What to do?

Well, if I were your Commencement Speaker, I’d remind you of the following considerations:

1.    Time favors no one.  You are still young.  You may think that that’s in your favor.  In physique, energy, looks, maybe so.  But young also means naïve, inexperienced, wet behind the ears.  You need experience, growth in wisdom and maturity.  And that takes time.  Alas, when you finally do get recognized for your wisdom, maturity, and experience, by then you’ve also gained a few pounds, lost your youthful physique, and will have that leathery weathered look as evidence of your hard earned experience.  Yes, aging happens even to the best of us.

2.    You will die.  And, you can’t take it with you.  Whether you only live to be 29 years of age or 92, you, me, them, us, this generation as well as the next generation, we’re all going to die.  Then what?  I suppose the answer to that depends much on your belief system: Life after death?  Total annihilation?  Nothingness?  Reincarnation?  I suggest to you that “God IS.”  And because God IS, there is accountability and judgment.  We will answer for our lives to a Just, Righteous, and Holy God.  This is why embracing Christ’s message of hope, salvation, grace, and love, is so critical in this life.

3.    Thus, the future is now.  What you do now has a direct effect on your future.  Granted, though you are still growing and in the process of “becoming,” you are not going to BE somebody, you ARE somebody already.  You are already in motion.  You are already an actor on the stage of life.  Thus, the question is not, what will you do, but what are you doing, here and now.  The future will take care of itself so long as you are mindful of the present.  Nevertheless, never forget, the significant question you really need to answer, when all is said and done, is not “What did I accomplish,” but rather, “Who have I become.”

Well, thank you for letting me be your personal commencement speaker.  I pray you have a rich and blessed present/future life.   God’s grace be with you.