Graduating with honors
Graduation is indeed an accomplishment worth celebrating – a time to reflect on hard work and good times. For high school seniors, it’s like a wedding. Students order invitations, gowns, rings and flowers. They attend rehearsals and welcome relatives from far away. They pose for endless pictures, hug everyone at least once and secretly wish they could skip the formalities and go right to the reception. Most of all, they nurse a nagging tension that life is about to change forever.
When ceremony night finally arrives seniors mingle aimlessly outside the auditorium while moms fuss over caps and straighten ties. Their dads stand stiffly by in the obligatory suit. Aunts and uncles spread their coats, purses and programs across multiple seats in the auditorium attempting to flag down the rest of their entourage. All eyes are misty and hearts swollen with pride as the band breaks into Pomp and Circumstance.
After what seems like hours, names are called A to Z and Reality hands each senior a certificate. It reads, “Welcome to the rest of your life Graduate! This hereby certifies that you are fully responsible for the knowledge you’ve attained. As of this moment you are completely responsible for your actions, your choices and your debts. Now you are the parent – discipline, correct and organize yourself. Here is your own voice! Speak with thought, wisdom and passion. Give to the world what you have been given to share expecting nothing in return. There are no guarantees. Honor your parents, obey the laws of the land and fear God.”
It seems that not a ceremony is held without these somber reminders, yet rarely is there a graduate who is listening. Many see the diploma as an end in itself instead of a means to an end. For those who hold that attitude, life is an upward climb. They turn off their ears when the ceremony is over and throw away lessons learned like a cap and tassel flipped in the air – as if to say, “I got the paper, that’s all I need.” The gown comes off and they expect everything to just fall into place. They step out into society and act as if the government owes them a living. They grumble and complain about their taxes and jobs. Just moments after they leave the classroom they forget that back-talking and fighting once cost them a trip to the principle’s office.
Then, they have kids. Some sit in their children’s graduation ceremony and wish for a chance to do it over. They swallow hard as their child’s name is called and pray for something wise to say – regretting that their lifestyle has already said too much. For the few who met the challenge of their diploma, their children’s graduation is their reward.
Perhaps some of us need to step back into the classroom. “My people die from lack of knowledge” God says in His word. Wisdom cries out in the streets, “Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies and nothing you desire can compare with her.” Proverbs 8:10, 11. Let’s graduate from our childish ways. Let’s change our major from ignorance to integrity and learn how to keep our children from killing each other in their schools. We can all graduate with honors if we study God’s textbook, learn our lessons and pass the tests.
