My Message to High School Graduates

One of the great joys of being a pastor is getting to talk to high school graduates. I had that wonderful opportunity Sunday.

In addition to the graduates, I spoke to their parents, grandparents, and siblings. We had a banquet for our graduating seniors, and the house was packed. It was a wonderful experience.

What do you say in that kind of situation?

It is such a happy occasion you feel that you must say something syrupy. It is a real temptation to gloss over the truth. I reminded the graduates that one of the qualities they most admire is authenticity.

For that reason I resisted that temptation and talked with them about five things I have learned throughout life.

Here they are:

First, I have learned that life is the sum of all your choices. Life is filled with good decisions and bad decisions. Whatever decisions I have made I am living with now. So are you.

Therefore, it is imperative that we seek good counsel and Godly wisdom for the decisions we are going to make.

While we often look back with regret over what we did that harmed us, we might be just as saddened by the opportunities we had that we didn’t take.

Second, holiness– – not happiness – – is the goal of the believer.

Happiness is a byproduct of good, Godly decisions. It comes from right living. In fact, happiness may not be possible at all, but joy is possible and so is peace.

Third, I have learned I need to constantly make friends with my Bible and friends with my church. Our early adult years are the most important time to be connected to God and His Word.

Fourth, as I have looked at my own family and the families of others, I have learned the truth of the Scripture – – alcohol is a mocker. “Wine is a mocker and beer is a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1).

A mocker is someone who goads you into doing something and then berates you when you do. Satan loves to say, “Look what a mess you have made of your life.”

We are living in epidemic times related to alcohol, opioids, and overdoses of every kind. In the New Orleans metropolitan area we lose one person a week to an overdose. Most of them are young.

I have a friend who grew up with an alcoholic father. As he noted the growing phenomenon of alcohol use in the church and even among pastors, he declared, “no good can come from embracing the use of alcohol.”

Fifth, I learned early on the person you marry will have the most influence on how you live. Choose wisely. Marry a believer, and look for virtue and strong character in the person you choose.

I promise you will be glad you married with those good, Godly qualities in mind.

Life is hard. We must make the best of it for the glory of God and for our own personal joy and peace.

Waylonbailey.com is my ministry across the Internet. Would you share this with others if you find it helpful. If you would like to receive all of my daily posts, you can sign up for them in the box below.


 

 

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One Response

  1. “Syrupy” would have been forgotten quickly, maybe by next week.
    You shared what “Sticks” and will come to mind for their life times.
    May it play out in their hearts and lives!

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