{Once upon a time I gave a speech}
I had the privilege to be one of the speakers at my graduation ceremony. I was beyond nervous, but excited to take the opportunity to share a message that is so important for everyone! I am thankful for the way the Lord gave me not only the strength to get up in front of all of the people there, but also for my parents and the wisdom they have poured into my life over the years, they helped me so much when it came to writing this.
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Graduates! Today has come at last. Friends and family, welcome. Thank you for being here to celebrate with us! This is a big, exciting day.
I am 18 years old. I am pretty young, yet, I have been taught so much. I have even managed to learn quite a bit. Enough, in fact, to graduate from high school! I learned how to say the alphabet, add numbers, spell words, read books, write essays, perform experiments, and find x or y. I’ve also realized several important things have given me the proper perspective for today, the day we are celebrated for our accomplishments, our hard work.
Today, we graduate. Today is the day we have looked forward to for many years. Today we are honored with celebrations, congratulations, parties, gifts, and, hey, an entire day has been set aside to celebrate us.
We have mastered many subjects, participated in extracurricular activities, and we have spent countless hours planning and preparing for our futures. There have been many late nights studying hard for tests or finishing big projects, many hours spent reading, researching, solving, writing…and Algebra. We worked hard to be where we are now. It took a lot from us, but we did it. We did it and now we get to celebrate!
Today, all of these people are here for us, to cheer and yell for us, to honor us and all of our accomplishments. We did it. Good job to all of y’all! We did something we should be proud of.
But you know what graduates? One thing I’ve realized is that it’s not all about us.
1. We didn’t get here on our own.
Up to now we have had family, friends, pastors, other leaders, teachers, and they have ALL contributed to the people we are today. They have been there to help us through tough situations, encouraging us when we are struggling, teaching us through our failures and celebrating our successes with us.
We may be the ones to have answered the questions and kept up the grades, but what about the times when we felt like giving up because it was just too much? Who encouraged us to try harder? Who helped us understand something that seemed unfathomable? We might have been the one on the field, or on the stage, but who was the one to make sure we have everything we needed? When we didn’t know where to go or what to do, who was there to show us the way? When we were scared or stressed about something, who was there to comfort us and offer us words of encouragement?
Please remember, graduates, we didn’t get here on our own, AND, another thing I have realized is,
2. We won’t go anywhere else on our own.
We are still going to need the help and support of our friends and family. We are still going to mess up and need advice...We are still going to get worried and stressed and need encouragement...We are still going to struggle and need love.
Graduates, do not take these people in your lives for granted, because one day you’ll need them. This big room is full of people who have been a part of our lives for many years and in numerous ways. Do not neglect to notice just how much love, respect and attention that we owe them.
Friends, family, on behalf of the class of 2015, I thank you!
But, you know what else? Just as it’s not all about us graduates, friends and family, it’s not even about you.
The MOST important thing I have come to realize is that it’s ALL about Him, Christ Jesus, The very Son of God, the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords!
Even though today it “seems” like it’s all about us, it’s not.
3. Today, and everyday, It’s all about Him. His work, His praise and His name.
Remember, we didn’t get here on our own...None of us did. We exist only because He created us. We survive only because He sustains us.
Hebrews 1 says: “He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of His nature, and He upholds the universe by the word of His power.”
He created us. He provided a way, gave us the tools and strength to accomplish what we have. He gives us life each and everyday. He offers the only hope for our future. Without Him, what is there? What hope do we have apart from Him? None. Apart from Christ, we are nothing. He holds our past, present and most importantly He holds our future.
We are ALL sinners. We are fallen humans who deserve nothing but hell. We continually turn away from Christ, and yet He humbled himself even to the point of death on a cross. He died so that we may live.
As it says in Phillipians 2: “And being found in human form, He humbled Himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore, God has highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name that is above every name…”
Through Him we have salvation...if we only call on His name!
According to Romans 10, you can be His. He can be yours, your savior, your Lord. It says, “...if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart, one believes and is justified, and with the mouth, one confesses and is saved.”
Do you believe this? Do you KNOW HIM?
Graduates, the Lord has blessed us to allow us to make it to where we are today. Family and friends, pastors, teachers and coaches, He put you in our lives, and we are grateful.
Let us strive to live our lives for His glory alone. Wherever you are, whatever you’re doing, do it all to the glory of Him, He who made you and He who sustains you.
Today, it’s not really about us. It’s not really about what we want…about what we feel…about who we are or even where we are going. It’s ALL about Him. Our God is real and active. Let’s live like it!
“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
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