PASTOR’S CORNER: Stay focused. A message to graduates

This morning, I want to talk to graduating students. One of the hardest things for most people to do is to stay focused. With so many distractions we can easily get off track. Just look around — we don’t have to look far — and we will see everything that can turn our heads away.

We live in a fallen world. Evil and temptation are everywhere. There’s something around every corner, especially when you are young.

But why are there distractions? Because all of us have our likes, things that appeal to our flesh; things that feel good to the flesh, that taste good to the flesh. We all have our appetites because if we didn’t then we could not be enticed by the devil and lured away into sin. For we are always tempted in one of three ways: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16).

It happened to our first parents Adam and Eve. It happened to David, a man after God’s own heart. It happened to Samson when he was enticed by Delilah, and Ahab the king when influenced by his wicked wife Jezebel.

Anytime you set your sights on something that is good and head in that direction, choose to think for yourself, be your own person, and do what’s right for you, you can expect for the devil to send somebody your way to influence you to do the wrong thing or get you side-tracked. High school graduates, I hope that you will grab a hold of this and always keep this in mind. Wee salute you today, we honor you for your accomplishment, we are so proud of what you have done.

I mean, you’ve got 12 years of accomplishments under your belt. That says you are going somewhere. I love that because I see greatness in you. I really do. I see you have a great future and I have confidence in you.

Let me say that God will do great things in your life if you stay focused. Staying focused is the name of the game. Don’t try to please anybody but God, your parents and yourself! Graduates, soon you will be in a whole new world different from what you had in school. You will be on your own. You will be around people that were not brought up the way you were. Some, who did not go to church. Pick and choose your friends carefully and please don’t get caught up in cliques! Don’t try to fit in. You are unique, and you are wonderfully and fearfully made, simply because God made you.

Don’t be afraid to be different; not better but different. There is nothing wrong with being different.

Some of us grownups should be that way. Some grownups are like chameleons, they take on the personality of everybody they are around. When they are around them, they act like they act, do what they do and say what they say. They change from being who they are just to have friends but that’s crazy. God made us who we are and if He is pleased with what He made, then it doesn’t matter what anybody else thinks! Graduates, be you! In college be you! And stay focused!

Community, isn’t it a good thing to stay focused? Doctors are doctors because they stay focused! Lawyers are lawyers because they stayed focused! Entrepreneurs, teachers, architects, judges, astronauts and all those who are successful now are all where they are because they stayed focused!

We hear all the time about people who started well; were doing so well and had everything going for them but they got defocused. Hanging with the wrong crowd, being influenced, wanting to fit in, needing somebody to validate them, and now they are singing a sad song — would have, could have, should have.

But not you! I speak that into your lives on today. You will succeed and not fail. You will not be another casualty. The power of death and life is in the power of the tongue, (Proverbs 18:21). You are going to silence those who say you’re not going to make it; every single day I want y’all to speak to yourself and say, “I am what God says I am. I will be what God says I can be. Speak that and say, “I am fearfully and wonderfully made,” (Psalms 139:14).

And then walk in it!

Solomon said, “Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee,” (Proverbs 4:25). Solomon seems to be saying, “I recall when I was a young man and my father tried to teach me the right way. Now that I’m older and a father myself, I know that he was right.” Graduates, you must make a covenant with your eyes; that your eyes will stay focused on your goal. You don’t have time for shenanigans, foolishness, cliques and sororities that are not good.

Graduates take this with you, there are a lot of snares, pitfalls, immorality and social media platforms designed to steer you away from your goal. Don’t let it happen.

And don’t ever say what you can’t do. I don’t care how hard it gets, always remember the scripture “I can do ALL things through Christ who gives me strength,” (Philippians 4:13).

Graduates, you’ve made it 12 years, you can do four more. You’ve stayed focused for 12 years, you can stay focused now. You have proved it already. Square your shoulders back, stick your chest out and face the wind.

Graduates, the word to you is to stay focused!