Is it a Graduation or Commencement?

Last weekend Altha and I attended my niece’s college graduation ceremony. Sitting through the endless procession of graduates, my mind wandered. I wondered how many of these young adults are ready to take on the responsibilities of adulthood. Over the years, I have counseled many young adults (20-somethings) who admitted they were afraid to grow up.

There are a number of advantages to being a little kid. For one thing, not a lot is required of you. No one gives you too much responsibility because, of course, you can't handle it yet. You're allowed to be more self-centered than adults are. You expect to be taken care of. Your job is just to play and have fun. All in all, it's a pretty good life. But, of course, no one can remain a child forever—it is normal to want to grow up. But with maturity comes responsibility and accountability—you must give up your former ways.

Paul said “When I was a child, I spoke... thought... reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put away childish things” (1 Cor. 13:11). As I know all too well from years of counseling young adults, many are afraid of giving up those ‘childish things’—to graduate, then commence the journey into greater maturity. I think we all need to be reminded of this, because in the same way, we are always graduating and commencing: putting off the old, and putting on the new (Eph. 4:22,24). I think Paul captures the essence of this in the following: “I am still not all I should be, but I am focusing all my energies on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead” (Phil. 3:13), always graduating and commencing.