Some Wise Advice for Recent Grads

From my friend, Allie Dart, of Christian Education Ministries:

If you are a 2005 graduate, you’ve probably received stacks of cards congratulating you. They’ve told you the sky’s the limit, success awaits you, and your future couldn’t look brighter. The speaker at your commencement exercise may have left you feeling that you can conquer the world. And we certainly hope you do.

Along with receiving your diploma or degree, you’ve received a lot more freedom. You’ll likely move out of your parents’ home and into a college dorm, or into your own apartment. This is what you’ve been waiting for. Isn’t it? So where do you go from here?

King Solomon, had some words of wisdom for his sons and daughters that any graduate would benefit from hearing. He told those royal princes and princesses to “Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm. Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.” Solomon saw the need for even a young person of royal descent to live disciplined lives. Why? Because, among other things, it was their duty? Yes, duty! And life would work better for them.

Why was it Solomon’s sons and daughters duty to take only firm ways and not swerve to the right or left, and keep their feet from evil? Maybe if you understand what “duty” means, you’ll understand its importance. Duty means, “Conduct due to parents and superiors: RESPECT. Obligatory tasks that arise from one’s position. . . A moral or legal obligation.”

Since 1898 West Point has understood the importance of one performing his duty. The legend in their code of arms says, “Duty, Honor, Country.”

You’re not likely a prince or princess, and probably don’t have any royal blood in your veins. So does that get you off the hook of fulfilling your duty? Probably not. So think about this. You’ve attained a certain “position” as a 2005 graduate. The Bible says, “To whom much is given, much is required.” You have been given what only a small percentage of this world’s population has received – a high school and/or a college education. Wouldn’t that qualify you as one who has been given much?

Theodore Roosevelt understood well the importance of Americans performing their duty. He said “The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich theory of life.” In other words, an undisciplined people who do not recognize their responsibility and perform their duty will destroy our nation. When you look at our society, does that give you chills down your spine?

You may not be able to control or have much influence on the soft living or the attitude of a person who wants peace at any price. But you can control yourself and not be a “free spirited,” scatterbrained nomad who never does much with his life. As you move out of your parents’ home keep in mind that the following things are still your duty:
Remember your high school friends and keep them for life
Choose your new friends carefully
Carry out your responsibilities
Pick up your clothes
Be on time
Give every job that extra effort
Guard against sexual temptations
Avoid alcohol – it’s involved in most young people’s deaths and promiscuous actions
Read your Bible daily and obey its teachings
Give thanks to God daily
Never forget what Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 12:13
“Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty, of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil” (NIV).

May this achievement mark the beginning of a lifetime of dreams come true for every graduate.

(Welcome Radio Equalizer readers.)