Some in this room have
more yesterdays than tomorrows. Those we are recognizing this morning
have more tomorrows than yesterdays.
We tend to look in the direction which is weighted the heaviest. With
youth comes energy and hope, with age comes wisdom and trust. In a
dream world we would be 30 with the wisdom of 70 and the looks of 20.
With so much noise in the world today it is hard to determine what
needs to be ignored and what needs to be practiced. Everyone seems to
be shouting there way is the only way. It is hard to separate truth
from fiction.
I have seen the text books of this generation. When something is
important they put it in bold letters. They call your attention to it.
It’s a non-verbal way of saying this is on the test. From here on out
nothing is written in bold letters. The fonts all the same you must
choose what to believe, what to ignore, what to practice, and what to
avoid. You make your choices and your choices make you. When I was
your age I would purchase used text books. They were cheaper than the
new textbooks. So when mom and dad gave me money for my textbooks I
would buy the used ones and pocket the savings and never tell mother.
Sorry mom.
Some might say it was luck others might say it was another sign of a
gracious God, but the first year I purchased a used text book which
had belonged to Neal Woods. I knew this because of signature on the
title page. Neal was a legend in the religion department. Two years
ahead of me he was a straight “A” student. Neal had this habit of
highlighting in his book, with a highlighter like this. Anything
important he would highlight in yellow. Remember there were no bold or
italicized letters. When it came to studying I studied everything Neal
had highlighted. In this course I walked on water because Neal had
marked where the rocks were. From then on out I spent hours looking
for used text books owned by Neal, unfortunately for me Neal did not
take Zoology or Physics and Neal’s other books were picked up quicker
than free pizza on a college campus so I never used another. The
lesson learned is in a world where all the fonts are equal, look for
the wise person who has highlighted in yellow what really matters.
There is an old prayer which dates to the thirteenth century which
provides such a highlight for all our futures.
O most merciful Redeemer, Friend, and Brother,
May I see thee more clearly,
Love thee more dearly,
And follow thee more nearly:
For ever and ever.
First we pray to see more clearly. Today as in every age there is a
great deal of blindness. For us who are older we close our eyes and
for those of you are young your vision is blurry.
Open your eyes to see how needy the world is and how blessed you
are, 12.3 million children live below the poverty line.
Open your eyes to see the waste and ruined caused by drug use, 12
million people have used methamphetamine and ruined their futures.
Open your eyes to the destructive power of violence. We live in a
society which is increasing solving problems with guns and violence
instead of words.
Open your eyes to the suffering of others. The ongoing civil war in
Sudan has displaced more than 4 million. Some fled into southern
cities, such as Juba; others trekked as far north as Khartoum and even
into Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Egypt, and other neighboring countries.
These people were unable to grow food or earn money to feed
themselves, and malnutrition and starvation became widespread.
Humanitarian organizations call a “lost generation” who lack
educational opportunities, access to basic health care services, and
little prospects for productive employment in the small and weak
economies. Graduates don’t grow up with blinders on. It’s not about
the biggest house or the most prestigious post. Don’t grow cataracts
that lay a haze over your understanding. Don’t just see what you want
to see to justify the good life. Look beyond your front door. Look
beyond Will Ferrall, Paris Hilton, Maroon 5, and Fergie.
Open your eyes and see the world, the broken world, the conflicted
world, the world with opportunity and peril. The world in need of more
substance and less style. The world in need of more work and less
talk. The world in need of more dreamers and less cynics. The world in
need of more doers and less complainers.
Open your eyes and see God and your world more clearly.
But seeing more clearly is not enough. Once your eyes have been open
you must love more dearly. It’s hard enough to love but to love with
your eyes open that’s another matter. Todd Beamer loved his pregnant
wife Lisa and his two sons David and Drew. Todd worked for Oracle. But
his eyes were opened on September 11th when his flight, United 93 was
hijacked by terrorist. On this morning he decided to do the loving
thing, which was not the best thing for him. He died in a Pennsylvania
field. When we love we sacrifice. I suppose at this point you have
made modest sacrifices. However, if you are going to be more than a
“wisher” you are going to have to sacrifice to continue your
education. You will have to choose to study instead of talk over
pizza, you will have to choose to learn the new and risk embarrassment
instead of continuing to aid at nothing. Love for another or love for
a dream calls for sacrifice, you have to put the time in.
A musical group from your generation, the New Radicals, put it this
way, “you only get what you give.” So it is time to love more dearly.
It is time to love those who have stood behind you, stop taking them
for granted. The person who you’re with most in life is yourself and
if you don’t like yourself you’re always with somebody you don’t like,
so it’s time to love yourself. And it’s time to love God more dearly.
Your short journey has been a blessed one and God has loved you so it
is time to return such love. The way we return such love is by
becoming the best we can be. Love crucifies mediocrity. Don’t settle
for being a copy of another or by trying to get by with as little as
possible. Love God more dearly by offering your best.
See more clearly, love more dearly, yet one remains follow more
nearly. Follow who? Who are your hero’s? Stephen Hawkins, Peyton
Manning, Jimmy Page, Ashley Simpson, Bill Gates, or Oprah. They are
all accomplished and I’m not going to ridicule any of them. I humbly
suggest that those you follow should be taking you to a destination
that is worthwhile.
This is where I am suppose to offer a list of Christian heroes. Such a
list usually starts with the obvious Billy Graham, Martin Luther King
Jr., Mother Teresa or maybe to those who are hip like Creed or famous
athletes. Never one for the tried or true, I am only going to offer
one modest hero, and he was no saint, just someone leading to a
destination worth going.
He was a business man, he was an opportunistic business man. During
the war he partnered with the right people and ended up with the right
contracts and he made a fortune. He grew up catholic. His faith made
an impression on him. The part about doing good and over coming evil
with good resonated with him. One of the residual effects of the war
was the persecution of various people groups. While he profited from
the situation he could not sit idly by and watch the Jews murdered. So
Oskar Schindler decided to start saving lives. He used his financial
resources to rescue Jews from the hands of the Nazi’s. Inspired by his
faith he saved 1100 people. He was imperfect mind you, but so are we.
Yet when he listened to his faith, was willing to sacrifice, he
changed his part of the world.
To follow more nearly is to hitch our wagon not to the jobs with the
biggest future but to seek to use our gifts to create the best future.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own
understanding.
Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take.
This is good advice. Your understanding is limited. So follow God and
he will show you the path to take. High School and College is
something you complete. Life is something you experience. Success is
defined by seeing, loving and following. The day will come when people
will no longer be grading you, but your grade will be given by your
own internal sense of fulfillment by doing or not doing your best.
Seeing clearly, loving dearly, and following nearly will lead you to
discover what you love. Then get good at it. Competence is a rare
commodity in this day and age.
All of our time is limited, so don't waste it living someone else's
life. Don't let the noise of others' opinions drown out your own inner
voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and
God’s spirit. For as we know God . . . . . . gives power to the weak
and strength to the powerless.
Even youths will become weak and tired, and young men will fall in
exhaustion. But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow
weary. They will walk and not faint.
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