A Message for Graduates and Everyone

by Chris Mullis

My words today are for graduates, but they are really for all of us. We all need to remember what it is to be young and charting the direction of our lives. We also need, at times, to recalibrate our lives to get back on the path of righteousness.

The best advice I can give to graduates, to anyone really, is to have a rich relationship with God. So, here’s an important word for you—you’re not doing this all by yourself. Even when you think you are all on your own, your parents, family, and church are still pulling for you. And even if no one else is there, God is surely with you.

Don’t be a fool like the man in Jesus’ parable. He was a fool because he was greedy and selfish. Instead of turning to help others who may not have been so fortunate, he thought only of himself and how he could enjoy pleasure in this world. He planned to take it easy saying, “My friend, you have enough stored away for years to come” but didn’t realize he was about to die and lose it all. None of us know how many days we have, and when this life is over, the things of this world will belong to others. Therefore, we should think of others instead of clinging to what we have. We should value our relationship with God above any worldly goods because they are only temporary.

Proverbs 11:25 says, “The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.” Always remember God is taking care of you, and therefore, you can be a generous person who does what God calls you to do. I’d like to challenge you today to tithe. Tithing helps you remember life isn’t all about you. It helps you guard against greed. It’s also something to help you practice your faith in God’s providence—that He is going to take care of you. Tithing is an exercise of faith that strengthens your trust in God, helping you build a rich relationship with Him while building His Kingdom. The tithe is a win, win, win—a win for the Church, a win for God’s Kingdom, and a win for your spiritual life.

If ever there is a time in life when people need God’s guidance, grace, and help, it is those young adult years. Sadly, these are also the years when most people drift away from church. I know it can be difficult to stay connected in that time of life, but it is so worth it and so needed. I challenge graduates to not drift away but to delve into their relationship with God through the church. Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.”

We all drift off course from time to time. It may not even be by much, but over time a little drift can make you miss the target by a lot. So, it is good for us to stop every now and then and think about it, and commit to do the things we need to do to get back on the right path. What do you need to do today to get back on the right path? Or if you are just starting out, what do you need to do to help you become the person you need to be? I invite you to pray to God about it and ask Him for help. And if you’ve never done it before, I invite you today to accept Jesus’ invitation to come follow Him.

About The Author

Rev. Chris Mullis is an ordained minister of the United Methodist Church with a Masters of Divinity from Candler School of Theology at Emory University. Pastor Chris’s ministry has spanned twenty years and four different churches in Georgia. Chris is currently serving God as the senior pastor of Pleasant Grove Methodist Church located at 2701 Cleveland Hwy in Dalton, GA.