This is the time of year when graduation notices start coming in the mail, graduation parties are being hosted, graduation pictures start to flood social media and graduates start to move on with their lives to bigger and better things. Congratulations to all of the graduates out there! Now, I just have one plea to make of you—DON’T GRADUATE! Please!
At the root of the definition of the word “graduate” is the concept of “completing” something or “finishing” something. When you finish school, you walk away from it (often with great celebration). Graduates, while you have finished some things and while you are walking away from some things, please, oh, please, don’t finish, walk away and graduate from those things that are of eternal worth!
Don’t graduate from God’s truth! Oh, some people will find “their own truths,” but there is only one objective truth given to us by God that will set us free and chart our course to heaven (John 8:32)! Don’t graduate from it!
Don’t graduate from your faith! You are going to be challenged. People in authority will mock you because you believe in God and Jesus and the Bible. Don’t worry about them! The evidence that backs your faith and is the foundation of it is indestructible (Rom. 1:20; Acts 1:3; Heb. 3:4; 11:3).
Don’t graduate from the church! Some people, maybe even fellow “Christians,” are going to try to convince you that the church is “optional” and that you are ok (maybe even better off) without it. Don’t believe them for a second! They’re wrong! You need the church and…the church needs you (Matt. 6:33; 1 Cor. 12:12-27; Eph. 4:16; Heb. 10:24).
Don’t graduate from godly living! “Just live any way that you want! You only live once! You do you!” That’s what some folks will try to convince you to believe. The truth is that the very best life on this earth is the faithful Christian life! You will be more blessed (Eph. 1:3; John 13:17) and more fulfilled (John 10:10) by living the godly life than any other life (Tit. 2:11-14)!
Don’t graduate from Jesus! You might think that you can’t see Him, so He must not be real. He is more than real! He is your Friend (John 15:14), your Savior (1 John 4:14), your Advocate with God (Heb. 2:17-18; 7:25; 1 John 2:1-2), your life (Col. 3:4) and your only hope (1 Tim. 1:1). You need Him more than you need anything else!
Don’t graduate from heaven! You can miss out on a lot of things in this life and still survive, but don’t miss heaven! Set your sights and your mind on heaven (Col. 3:1-2), long for Jesus’ return every day (Phil. 3:20) and live in such a way that heaven will be your eternal home (2 Pet. 1:11; 2 Cor. 5:10).
Leave school, but don’t leave what truly matters!