"Be"

Last night I attended my third high school graduation of this year. I was excited to go because one of my very first students in ministry was graduating. I was also not so excited because I was tired and I'd already been to two high school graduations and have heard enough "Pomp and Circumstance" to last me a lifetime. This graduation was quite long but it also made me think, which most graduation ceremonies don't do. The graduation was for Woodcrest Christian High School here in Riverside. As I was listening to each of the students give their speeches, watching pictures of all thier senior class and listening to students sing (shout out to one of our high school students, Lynnea Erwin, who did an amazing job singing) I really came away with more from the message than anything. The speaker said he wanted to keep the message short (which he did and I was thankful for) and tell the students one letter. That letter is "B" or as he said not really just one letter but one word, "Be". He had three points:

1. Be, rather than just do
2. Be, just don't pretend (Be real)
3. Be in contact

Now grant it the last point really doesn't apply to me, but the other two really tugged at my thoughts. Am I a person who just does stuff to fill my time? Do I pretend to know things and do things that really I have no clue about? Do I try pleasing other people, when I should really be pleasing to God? I want to be more pleasing to God and not try to put up a front to other people.

I believe that even though I went last night to the graduation just to show my support for two of our high school students, I came away with much more, maybe even a better understanding of who I need to "be."