Whether graduating from high school, college, graduate school or a training program, there is something uniquely special about transitioning from a structured, formalized educational program to an environment in which that education is expected to translate into success. It is a time to reflect upon and celebrate all the hard work, fun, and personal sacrifice that went into achieving this milestone. It’s a time to sincerely thank the parents, teachers, mentors and friends that sacrificed, supported, pushed and prodded to ensure success and happiness. It’s also a time to plan for a future that will be fulfilling, meaningful and honorable.
There are many unique and useful skills one learns through schooling, knowledge that applies directly to professional aptitude in specific disciplines. Even if one obtains the highest degree possible in a given field, there is always more that can be learned. In an increasingly competitive job market, education is more valuable than ever. Ultimate success, however, cannot be defined or quantified by a diploma in a frame or letters after one’s name. True success begins and ends with the source of our knowledge, our drive to learn, and our talents: our Father in heaven.
The working adults and retirees among us will likely all attest to the fact that one’s character and work ethic are far more important in our work than our educational attainment. I would venture to say that the majority of textbook learning is fairly useless, in and of itself. The dedication to learning the material in that textbook, to seeing it through no matter how interesting or objectionable it may be, is an indication of strength, maturity, and nobility. Such dedication can and should translate to any job that we do, whether it’s flipping burgers or running a major corporation. Such dedication is what earns us promotions, raises and – most importantly – the approval of our Creator.
Whether we are a day past graduation or decades past it, our learning never ends, nor does our obligation to work hard, treat others well, and conduct ourselves with honesty and integrity. Even if all we graduated from was the "school of hard knocks," we all have the same marching orders. They’ve come directly from the only teacher we’ll ever need, our Lord Jesus. When the textbooks are long forgotten, collecting dust on a basement shelf, the lessons from our Teacher apply eternally. If we forget them or are tempted to stray from them, His lesson plan is always at our fingertips, His Word applicable to any job, any profession, and any circumstance we may face.
This graduation season, let us all celebrate the milestones and success that our friends and family members have achieved. Let us also remember that the fruits of that hard work are born from dedication to following Jesus Christ in all that we do. Ultimate success is realized in striving daily to be His living light in our little corner of the world.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Saturday, May 12, 2012
Letter to His Mother
Dear Mary,
On Mother’s Day, who better to write about than the earthly mother of our Lord and Savior? There is no woman I could admire more; for, though my own mother birthed me into this world, it is your son who gave me life. My mother raised me and nurtured me, directly impacting the woman I have become. But it is your son who has given me a purpose for living and a direction for my life.
From the very beginning, you possessed a depth of faith I have sought most of my life. Carrying the savior of the world in your womb, you did not question the truth or validity of your purpose. Although you likely felt the weight of the responsibility you bore in carrying out God’s plan, you never doubted that God would see you safely through.
I can only imagine what it was like for you to raise Jesus as any mother raises her child. I’ve often wondered if He suffered from the "terrible twos" or if He was as perfect in childhood as He was in adulthood. I’m sure that while you never forgot who He was during His younger years, you likely stepped into the daily routine all parents fall into with their children. I’m sure you grew quite attached to this fine boy, beaming with the pride and joy all mothers share.
When it was time for Jesus to start the ministry He had been called to, I wonder if you felt humble and grateful that your son had made it safely to this point, or did you feel a pang of sadness to know that His ministry would take Him to places far removed from where most mothers would dare to travel? You trusted in God’s promise that Jesus would be the long-sought savior of the people, but I can’t imagine how difficult it was to witness the cruelty and suffering heaped upon Him. Dare I say that not even the promises of the sovereign Lord can completely ease the breaking of a mother’s heart when her child suffers pain and injustice?
You and your son are joyously reunited for all eternity as He sits at the right hand of the Father. I for one am incapable of fully understanding the grace of the risen Christ. The depth of His sacrifice is incomprehensible. But the mother in me can appreciate – if only by a fraction – the depth of your sacrifice. By your faith, my Savior was born into the world to dwell among men and to set us free by grace. By your faith, the path to freedom and eternal life was paved.
Happy Mother’s Day, Mary. I can’t wait to one day meet the mother of the One who gave me life.
Sincerely,
A grateful child of our wonderful Lord
On Mother’s Day, who better to write about than the earthly mother of our Lord and Savior? There is no woman I could admire more; for, though my own mother birthed me into this world, it is your son who gave me life. My mother raised me and nurtured me, directly impacting the woman I have become. But it is your son who has given me a purpose for living and a direction for my life.
From the very beginning, you possessed a depth of faith I have sought most of my life. Carrying the savior of the world in your womb, you did not question the truth or validity of your purpose. Although you likely felt the weight of the responsibility you bore in carrying out God’s plan, you never doubted that God would see you safely through.
I can only imagine what it was like for you to raise Jesus as any mother raises her child. I’ve often wondered if He suffered from the "terrible twos" or if He was as perfect in childhood as He was in adulthood. I’m sure that while you never forgot who He was during His younger years, you likely stepped into the daily routine all parents fall into with their children. I’m sure you grew quite attached to this fine boy, beaming with the pride and joy all mothers share.
When it was time for Jesus to start the ministry He had been called to, I wonder if you felt humble and grateful that your son had made it safely to this point, or did you feel a pang of sadness to know that His ministry would take Him to places far removed from where most mothers would dare to travel? You trusted in God’s promise that Jesus would be the long-sought savior of the people, but I can’t imagine how difficult it was to witness the cruelty and suffering heaped upon Him. Dare I say that not even the promises of the sovereign Lord can completely ease the breaking of a mother’s heart when her child suffers pain and injustice?
You and your son are joyously reunited for all eternity as He sits at the right hand of the Father. I for one am incapable of fully understanding the grace of the risen Christ. The depth of His sacrifice is incomprehensible. But the mother in me can appreciate – if only by a fraction – the depth of your sacrifice. By your faith, my Savior was born into the world to dwell among men and to set us free by grace. By your faith, the path to freedom and eternal life was paved.
Happy Mother’s Day, Mary. I can’t wait to one day meet the mother of the One who gave me life.
Sincerely,
A grateful child of our wonderful Lord
Friday, May 4, 2012
Personality Prayers
You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions. (James 4:3)
God's Word tells us to pray for our enemies - those who have harmed or destroyed what is sacred to us individually or collectively. But what about people who just irritate us or rub us the wrong way? There are far more folks in our everyday lives that fit this description. They are clearly not "enemies," yet we tend to regard them with similar feelings of aversion. We know we should pray for them as well, but it seems so hard to do so in a genuine way. Why is that?
God instilled in each of us a personality all our own. When these personalities intermingle, it can make for fascinating discussion, spectacular accomplishments, and also some ruffled feathers. We encounter this dynamic each day at work, at school, in our social activities, and even within our families. We each have varying levels of tolerance for varying personality quirks. Sometimes we can make it work, while other times our lack of patience and frayed nerves result in unkind words, hurt feelings or resentment. Perhaps it's hard to pray for folks who irritate us because we expect more from them than we do from enemies. A coworker or classmate might bug the daylights out of us, but they aren't out to destroy what is sacred, so why can't they just shape up and get with the program? Why should we need to pray for them to be the way we want them to be?
The answer, of course, is that we shouldn't. There's nothing wrong with wanting a rude person to be courteous or an arrogant person to take on an attitude of humility. But we should not limit our supplications to correcting what we perceive to be wrong with another person. We should also pray for our own patience and understanding (not to mention a greater understanding of our own personality quirks). Above all, we should pray for God's strength and guidance in utilizing our greatest asset: our ability to be witnesses for Christ. By approaching all our relationships - even those that irritate us - with the strength, wisdom and love of Jesus, we will have far more influence on folks than by simply cataloging their faults and praying for them to be corrected.
The next time someone makes you want to scream in frustration, take a breath and take a moment with the Lord. When we ask for help in being a witness for Christ, God will always answer. Sometimes, your relationship with the other person will change for the better, but if not, one thing is for certain: your relationship with God will grow stronger. The stronger that relationship is, the more visible Christ will become to everyone around you.
God's Word tells us to pray for our enemies - those who have harmed or destroyed what is sacred to us individually or collectively. But what about people who just irritate us or rub us the wrong way? There are far more folks in our everyday lives that fit this description. They are clearly not "enemies," yet we tend to regard them with similar feelings of aversion. We know we should pray for them as well, but it seems so hard to do so in a genuine way. Why is that?
God instilled in each of us a personality all our own. When these personalities intermingle, it can make for fascinating discussion, spectacular accomplishments, and also some ruffled feathers. We encounter this dynamic each day at work, at school, in our social activities, and even within our families. We each have varying levels of tolerance for varying personality quirks. Sometimes we can make it work, while other times our lack of patience and frayed nerves result in unkind words, hurt feelings or resentment. Perhaps it's hard to pray for folks who irritate us because we expect more from them than we do from enemies. A coworker or classmate might bug the daylights out of us, but they aren't out to destroy what is sacred, so why can't they just shape up and get with the program? Why should we need to pray for them to be the way we want them to be?
The answer, of course, is that we shouldn't. There's nothing wrong with wanting a rude person to be courteous or an arrogant person to take on an attitude of humility. But we should not limit our supplications to correcting what we perceive to be wrong with another person. We should also pray for our own patience and understanding (not to mention a greater understanding of our own personality quirks). Above all, we should pray for God's strength and guidance in utilizing our greatest asset: our ability to be witnesses for Christ. By approaching all our relationships - even those that irritate us - with the strength, wisdom and love of Jesus, we will have far more influence on folks than by simply cataloging their faults and praying for them to be corrected.
The next time someone makes you want to scream in frustration, take a breath and take a moment with the Lord. When we ask for help in being a witness for Christ, God will always answer. Sometimes, your relationship with the other person will change for the better, but if not, one thing is for certain: your relationship with God will grow stronger. The stronger that relationship is, the more visible Christ will become to everyone around you.
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