The graduation speech

Today: Proverbs 1-3

Do you know what people are most afraid of?

It's not dying, a terrorist attack or even spiders.

It's public speaking.

One of the weird things about me? I actually like it.

Almost 11 years ago I was preparing to speak at my high school graduation ceremony (it was on June 4--I do remember that!). I had 10-15 minutes to address my classmates and a room filled with about 1,000 of their parents, friends and relatives. I don't remember exactly what I said, but I'm sure I prayed a lot beforehand...and tried to sound smart, funny, inspiring, deep and challenging. It was a lofty goal for an 18-year old speaker with 10 minutes on the clock.

What do you say when your life is about to change forever?

What do you say when you don't want to say "goodbye"?

What do you say when you just want to cry...and laugh...together?

I wish that I said something like this:

Don't lose your grip on Love and Loyalty.

Tie them around your neck;

carve their initials on your heart.

Earn a reputation for living well

in God's eyes and the eyes of the people.

Trust God from the bottom of your heart;

don't try to figure out everything on your own.

Listen for God's voice in everything you do,

everywhere you go;

he's the one who will keep you on track.

Don't assume that you know it all.

Run to God!

Run from evil!

Your body will glow with health,

your very bones will vibrate with life!

Honor God with everything you own;

give him the first and the best.

Your barns will burst,

your wine vats will brim over.

But don't, dear friend, resent God's discipline;

don't sulk under his loving correction.

It's the child he loves that God corrects;

a father's delight is behind all this.

That's a pretty good speech, right? I thought about ending it early...with the "Your barns will burst and your wine vats will brim over" line. But I think the last paragraph is important--perhaps the MOST important. It's a reminder that God may sometimes correct us because He loves us. More importantly, He delights in us:

• When we hold tight to Love and Loyalty...and when we see the folly of our indifference and betrayal,
  
• When we trust Him and when we see that we're not completely in charge,
  
• When we listen to Him and when we learn from our mistakes,
  
• When we honor Him and when we learn to depend on His provision, and
  
• When we love Him through it all...because He's always there loving us SO MUCH more.