Tis the season for cap and gown! Graduations are just about everywhere you look this time of year and oh how the gift cards roll! 

Graduation speeches are happening day after day from coast to coast… good ones, long ones, short ones and then there’s that one you never forget. Many if not most are seasoned with quotes or references to scripture, as I think they should be.

Proverbs admonishes us, “My son, do not forget my teaching, but let your heart keep my commandments, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you. 

Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. 

Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil. It will be healing to your flesh and refreshment to your bones.”

Knowledge of the scriptures gives substance to life and stabilization during times of testing. 

There needs to be in you something that keeps you pure and true! 

Psalm 119 tells us “Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word. 

With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments. Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”

Knowledge of scripture enables us to handle the Bible accurately. 

In academia where liberal theology or often no theology abounds, it is paramount to know how to defend your faith in God. 

When someone walks away from faith it usually doesn’t happen intellectually. 

More often they grow cold in their experience and are drawn away from righteous living. 

They then find ways to justify their actions, a system of thinking… casuistry… a system of justifying wrong behavior. 

Knowledge of the scriptures equips us to detect and confront error. 

As graduates embark upon a new season in life, allow me to make a few quick observations. 

For the Christian, there is the practical question, does God has a plan for one’s life? 

One could go further and approach that question individually and particularly. 

I happen to believe that not only does he have a plan, but he wants to share it with you. 

You will find that to be true in the life of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses.

The second observation is that not only does God have a plan, but he will personally lead you into it as you follow him. 

For the nation of Israel, there was the cloud and the pillar. 

In Exodus & Numbers, he led them by day and by night. 

You will also remember the Apostle Paul in Acts 13, God said, “I have set thee for a light to the gentiles” then in Acts Chapter 16 he tries to travel several directions, but God led him into Macedonia and not into Asia, and the world was never the same.

God has a purpose for you and for me and we can expect him to guide us. 

He will show us the next step. That was the greatness of Abraham. 

He knew no law, no moral code. He simply listened to the voice of God… Abraham, follow me. 

He never followed a way, he followed HIM! Hebrews 11:6 says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.”

Andrew Bonar in the Pursuit of Holiness writes, “It is not the importance of the thing, but the majesty of the Lawgiver, that is to be the standard of obedience…Some, indeed, might reckon such minute and arbitrary rules as these as trifling. 

But the principle involved in obedience or disobedience was none other than the same principle which was tried in Eden at the foot of the forbidden tree. 

It is really this: Is the Lord to be obeyed in all things whatsoever He commands?”

Billy Graham tells the story about a little child that was playing with a very valuable vase. 

He put his hand into it and could not withdraw it. 

His father too, tried his best to get it out, to no avail. 

They were thinking of breaking the vase when the father said, 

“Now my son, make one more try. Open your hand and hold your fingers out straight as you see me doing, and then pull.” 

To their astonishment the little fellow said, “O no, dad, I couldn’t put my fingers out like that because if I did, I would drop my dime.” 

Smile, if you will but thousands of us are like that little boy, so busy holding on to the plan we have for our lives. 

Listen to and follow God’s plan. 

He always has the best advice! 

Tim Throckmorton is the national director of Family Resource Council’s Community Impact Teams.