Dear Graduate,

By the time you read this, you have probably already endured your long-awaited graduation ceremony. After restlessly waiting for your name to be called, moving your tassel to the other side of your cap, and finally holding that diploma with your name on it, you are probably relieved. It’s over. You made it. And I’m happy for you, because although one season has come to an end, your whole life is ahead of you. However, let’s pause and rewind for just a moment.

You might not remember most details from this night, but I wanted to warn you that some alarming things were spoken over you from that podium. Perhaps the words sounded comforting and sensible when you heard them coming from your principal, salutatorian, and valedictorian, but I feel led to let you know that the words of advice you received can lead you down a dangerous path. Hear me out.

I went to a graduation ceremony the other evening and listened to speeches from one salutatorian and eight valedictorians. Speech after speech we listened to the same words of advice spoken over and over:

Follow your dreams.
Be true to yourself.
Have a good time.
Don’t let anyone stop you.
Don’t give up on whatever makes you happy.

I felt like the only listener in that ocean of an audience who was appalled at this disastrous message: it’s all about you.

Dear Graduate, please stop and listen. I’m sharing this from the bottom of my heart. You need to know (and I wish I would have realized when I was in your shoes) that it’s all about Jesus, and you are not Him; therefore, it’s not all about you.

When we look to scripture for advice, guidance, and inspirational messages, we find passages like Matthew 16:24, Mark 8:34, and Luke 9:23, which all tell us that if a person wants to come after Jesus, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Him. We are told to crucify our flesh, abstain from fleshly lusts that wage war against our souls, and live our lives for Jesus instead of ourselves (Romans 6:6, Galatians 5:24, Colossians 3:5, 1 Peter 2:11, 2 Corinthians 5:15).

In other words, Jesus is Lord, and you are not. Jesus is King, and you are not.

Or are you?

Is Jesus your Lord? Is He the King of your heart? Are you yielded to Him? Do you love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength?

If you answer “yes” to those questions, then great! Here’s the advice you should have been given:

Instead of Follow your dreams:
Pay attention to your dreams, because they can be an indication of what God plans to do with your life. But don’t follow them; follow Jesus. He may even ask you to lay down those dreams, for a season or permanently. He may tell you why, but He doesn’t have to. He sees the end from the beginning, and He knows what’s best.

Instead of Be true to yourself:
Be conformed to the image of Christ, and be true to that version of yourself. Let the Holy Spirit transform you into a true image-bearer of our Creator. Abide in Jesus and let Him produce in you the fruit of His Spirit. Your true identity is found in being a son or daughter of your heavenly Father. Let Him teach you who you were made to be.

Instead of Have a good time:
Realize that fullness of joy is found in God’s presence, so if you are looking for a good time, seek your Father. Become a Christian Hedonist like John Piper, who believes that the most important thing in your life is pursuing the Source of pleasure. Seek Him, seek Him, seek Him, and you will be strengthened by lasting joy that does not waver in the darkest of circumstances.

Instead of Don’t let anyone stop you:
Sometimes while you are following the Lord, you might miss what He asks of you. Let Him stop you. Let godly counselors give you feedback. Have a humble heart that is willing to learn and grow in wisdom. Always, always, always be willing to say “yes” to God, even if He is saying “no” about what you think is best in any given moment. Trust His judgment. He is sovereign.

Instead of Don’t give up on whatever makes you happy:
Don’t give up on God. As you walk through life, you will learn that He loves you more than anyone – even your mom. When your heart hurts, you can ask for comfort from the Holy Spirit, and peace will wash over you. When you need advice, you can ask the all-knowing Creator of the universe for counsel. He will guide you because He is a good Shepherd.

He is your Source. Every single need you will ever have is made to point you back to Him. Hunger, thirst, weariness, depression – they all are reminders that we need to be sustained by a higher power. And our God, the Living God, is Jehovah-Jireh: God who provides.

Read your Bible and learn about God. Talk to Him. Listen to Him. Laugh with Him. Cry to Him. Sing to Him. Dance with Him. Talk about Him. Look back to Him over and over again. He is all you need, and that’s what this life is about: your heavenly Father pursuing a relationship with His sons and daughters.

So, Graduate, will you be a part of that? Will you lay aside your plans for the next four years? the next semester? today? Will you remember the only One who matters? Because when this “season” of life ends, God is the One you will stand before. No fidgeting, no tassels, no diploma. When it comes to that day, which advice do you think will be more important?

Sincerely yours

“Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” -Philippians 4:13-14