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Graduation Is Only the Beginning

Whether graduating from high school or college, graduates leaving home, Mom and Dad, and the last vestiges of childhood feel a justifiable sense of accomplishment, a new freedom and independence of actions, and the excitement of new possibilites.

I would not venture to dampen their enthusiansm and festivities. In fact, both graduates and their friends and families should rightly celebrate this time as one of the great passages of life. But as in the launching of any great expedition, there are certain preparations which mush be made for success, certain dangers lurking unseen, and certain precautions which should be taken.

Stay Solid

Know who you are and what you believe. There are incredible pressures in the world today to be this way or that, to act this way or that. A recent article in Insight On the News magazine demonstrated that some colleges are indoctrinating students with "politically correct" thinking, which includes a denunciation of our Western culture and heritage. In many cirlces today, you can have free speech only if it is the "right" speech. You can also have freedom of religion, as long as it is pagan, not Judeo-Christian. Resist external pressure to do anything but what is right.

Your peers will also exert a not-so-subtle pressure to do certain things. New places will mean new friends, and new friends may bring new temptations. Getting in with the wrong crowd will bring a pressure to conform to their lifestyle. If they are into alcohol abuse, irresponsible sex, drugs, greed, or just wasteful living, you will soon find yourself sucked into it.

I knew a sincere young Bible college student who got in with the wrong crowd in his dorm. They would gather in one room, then talk and play cards most of the night. Then they couldn't get up for their morning classes or for chapel. Before long, this once-zealous freshman was flunking school, flunking in his spiritual life as well, and near an emotional breakdown.

"Do not be misled: bad company corrupts good character" (1 Corinthians 15:33, NIV). Be friendly to everyone, but choose your companions wisely.

Stay Balanced

Binging on anything is a bad idea, whether it is on junk food, alcohol, coffee, work, play, sleep or the lack thereof. Nor is it good to ride an emotional roller coaster, going from ecstatic highs to the lowest of lows. Some people maintain a high level of excitement much of the time, feeding off social life, parties, and thrills. But they become equally depressed when the party is over. Such depression, in extreme cases, can lead to suicide. It is healthier to be emotionally stable, not prone to extremes either way.

Young adults, or for that matter adults of any age, can also become unbalanced romantically. Becoming temporarily preoccupied with a new relationship can be expected, but should not become an obsession. It is not unusual for dating partners to fail to cultivate outside interests or friendships outside the relationship. They become oversly dependent upon the relationship itself. If and when a breakup occurs, each partner feels a tremendous void, and has no close friends for moral support.

Sadly, some people go through life seeking one romance after another. They feed off romance, much like others feed off excitement. When the thrill wears off, they crave another "fix."

No matter what specific activities are involved, an unbalanced lifestyle is an addictive lifestyle.

Stay Faithful

When I went off to college, I soon found it easier to sleep in on Sunday than to go to church. I never made a consious decision to turn my back on God -- I drifted away, slowly, imperceptibly. Not long after college, I rededicated my life to the Lord, but it would have been a lot easier not to have to make up lost ground.

God doesn't require you to be the strongest, smartest, or most talented personal in the world. But He does expect you to do the best you can with what you have been given. "It is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful" (1 Corinthians 4:2). Your whole life is a trust, and you must remain faithful and obedient in living it, for "you are not your own; you are bought with a price" (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

If you move to a new place, it will take time to make new friends. It will take time to feel at home in a new church. But find a good church, and persevere. Make new Christian friends who will help make faithfulness to God easier -- even fun!

And finally,

Stay Teachable

The wisest people are those who realize they still have a lot to learn. Put another way, the truly ignorant are those who think they know everything. You have finished a course of study, but that is just a start. It is "priming the pump," fueling the tank, sharpening the ax.

I have a couple of degrees, but I am constantly reading in order to learn and to stay abreast of the news. Remain a seeker for truth and knowledge. Be honest with yourself: you don't know everything. No one has all the answers.

Graduation is a great, hopeful beginning. Be prepared, be realistic, be sensible, and most of all, do what is right -- not "right for you," but what is RIGHT!

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Originally published in the Polk County Enterprise, May 26, 1991.