So tonight some of my best friends graduated from high school.
I began the night curious about which part of the ceremony I was going to lose it on. Surprisingly, I ended up not "losing it".
One of my favorite parts of tonight was the commencement speech. Not only was the speaker a funny guy, but his message left a distinct [hmm... how do I say this...] mark in my thoughts.
He was talking to the seniors specifically, but I felt his message take meaning for me as well. He was speaking on our images as Christians individuals and how we can leave a lasting impression on those around us.
As he was speaking, he mentioned President Barack Obama. He began to talk about how even though he had not given specifics, our own personal thoughts and judgments about our president were already filling our minds. And he was right.
He continued by turning this message toward the seniors and their supporters around them. He brought up the fact that if we call ourselves Christians, we automatically are making a statement for Christ. While we are not always showing the spirit of Christ that we should, we are still being watched by those around us. The speaker also mentioned how when people hear our names, they're going to be making their own conclusions and judgments.
And that, my friends, is where I REALLY started listening. And thinking. And evaluating my own life.
I got to thinking... if I could hear my peers' thoughts when I came into their mind, would I like what I heard?
I don't want to be known as the girl who "smiled, but never said anything to me," or "ignored me," or "hurt me when she said ______," or "never really liked me."
Instead, I want to be remembered as the one who "truly lived out Christ's commands," or "changed my life by sharing the Gospel," or "always brightened my day with her smile and warm hugs," or "the kind of person I want to be."
It's really hard to explain exactly what I was thinking tonight, but I can assure you that it meant more to me than most graduations normally do.
~S
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