This month, graduations are happening throughout our schools and universities.
Girls are busy choosing just the right hairstyle to compliment their formal dress, while young are men seeking the right tuxedo to give them that grown-up, manly appearance.
These details are important, as graduates prepare to celebrate their successes and entrance into the adult work-a-day world.
They face decisions as to which direction their life will take. Contrary to the era when I graduated, there are many more options available today.
Finding a direction in life that will bring satisfaction, suiting one's personality and a worthwhile purpose for living, will require wisdom.
The world offers its own kind, but godly wisdom such as King Solomon asked God for as he began his reign, is the best.
Proverbs 3:13 says, "Blessed is the man who finds wisdom... it is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold."
Our youth will soon learn not to expect life to be fair, but to be a real man and a true woman in today's world, it's important to hold fast to one's ideals, even when it may cause you to be looked upon as peculiar.
I always like to admonish our younger folk with these words, in I Timothy 4:12-16, which exhorts, "Don't let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example... in life, in love, and in faith and in purity."
After all, they will become our next leaders and need our encouragement as well as our prayers.
A news story from my hometown of Moncton, N.B. caught my attention last week.
A senior high school student felt what she termed as "an unjust standard in dress code" was being imposed on her by the school administration.
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| Lauren Wiggins. Image courtesy of CBC Moncton |
Human rights are important and all groups within society need to be treated with fairness and respect.
But, does not the school in question have the right to decide and to enforce their own set of rules and dress code?
Would it not be her prerogative to choose another school if she did not wish to adhere to the rules of this one?
As a young person, I recall being taught to obey those in authority over me. That was just the right thing to do. I think we called it horse sense. (Don't ask me why it was called that).
This included government rules, road rules, school rules, and even house rules at home. The saying, "A little modesty goes a long way" might just fit this occasion."
The long, flowing, off-the-shoulder dress would probably be more prudent as an evening party attire.
Young girls need to hear these famous words:
"I like you just the way you are. In God's eyes you are precious and you are beautiful, not because of the skin you show, or the size on your jeans — your reflection doesn't measure your perfection. Your heart is your most beautiful part."
How I wish that early on in life, our youth could grasp a portion of the wisdom that we gained, having graduated from the School of Hard Knocks.
A few nuggets of wisdom on my list would be:
1. Stand tall, behave with dignity and search for good in others.
2. To handle yourself, use your head. To handle others, use your heart.
3. If someone says something unkind about you, live so that no one will believe it.
"When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, everybody will respect you."
— Lao Tzu
"It's better to walk alone, than with a crowd going in the wrong direction."
— Diane Grant
"I am careful not to confuse excellence with perfection. Excellence I can reach for. Perfection is God's business."
— Michael J. Fox
— beulah
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