It hit me a couple months ago this year that every teacher I have lives for Christ and is as interested in my faith as in my academic development. Took me awhile to realize it but often the most profound things in life are the hardest to grasp. The greatest value of the teaching my class and I have received from our teachers rests not in the material but in their example of living as Christians. We have witnessed their faith in chapel and work ethic in class through trial and jubilation. Teachers, thank you. At the bottom line it is because of you that we made it through. Well here we are. Twelve years of hard work to get back to where we had middle school chapel and wear dunce hats along with much too large of robes and have all of our closest friends and family here to watch. As I sat down to write this speech the thought of these clothes really got me thinking to whose idea it really was to wear this stuff. Now that I am officially a graduate I can finally join the ranks of the majority of adults who use Wikipedia as an authoritative source of information; well, except for that whole college thing, but those details are unimportant. In any case I found an article that recorded the history of this graduation garb. It actually dates back to a tradition in medieval times when all the graduates were clergy since that was the only option for university studies in the medieval age. For a commencement, they merely wore what was typical of clergy during that day: an oversized robe. This got me thinking that if we were really holding true to the roots of this tradition, we as well would wear what is typical of the day for commencement. What could go wrong with yoga pants, skinny jeans, and baggy sweatshirts? I discovered that the issue of academic dress became so important in the United States that in 1893 an Intercollegiate Commission met to create a detailed document of correct academic wear which was then followed by the American Council on Education approving this document in 1932 and revising it in 1959. The beauty of democracy and exaggeration of anything that could be profit yielding - America at its finest. And here is the part of the speech where I am supposed to say, “but there is hope because of these new graduates heading out into the world,” yet that would not be truthful. If I were to be truthful I would have to say that the world will be just as or possibly more evil, lost, and sinful when this new group of graduates goes out into the world. It is a sad fact of life to recognize that we are all human, capable of the very same evils and worse ones as anyone else. There thrives a much greater hope than any group of people; a hope which already exists now and a hope that promises to the future; a hope that was raised on the third day and a hope that rests on the final judgment day; a hope that assures us to see Jonathan and Mr. Anglea again. Jesus Christ is our and the world’s hope.
Another thing I pondered when writing this speech other than the whole clothing tangent was what I could say that would provide focus, clarity, and encouragement before we all part to our separate ways. I thought a lot about it and was eventually reminded of what I said before. We, ourselves, offer no hope. There are no words I can say and no Scripture I can quote that would change everyone’s or anyone’s heart. That is a work solely left to God. Without a doubt it remains our duty and joy to speak Scripture and attest to the hope of Jesus Christ, but only God can make the plant grow. So instead of saying there is hope because of this class, let me merely and simply remind us all that there is hope because Jesus has risen from the dead. Now our great part in this Divine story is to display, champion, adorn, and proclaim this hope of Jesus to the world. To do this effectively there are some things I want to remind us of. To display Jesus to the world we must first know Jesus and the best way to know Jesus is by reading His greatest revelation to us: the Bible. Joshua 1:8 says, “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.” Second, to keep our focus on Christ we need to remain in constant intercession with Him as it says in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray without ceasing.” Third, our human nature makes it easy and at times even natural to wander from the fold of God and because of this I plead that none of us would give up on the Church. Though the Church may have problems just like anyone else, it is God’s provision to us that we may bear each other up under trials and keep one another accountable in our relationship with Christ. Hebrews 10:24-25 says, “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.”
For many of us college will make us want to try to hide our faith because it would be easier but easier does not mean better. These integral parts of our faith necessitate us to be bold and courageous for Christ, not reticent or unassuming, which is hard to do, so we must pray for strength. If we commit ourselves to these things a little bit of Heaven will come to earth through our lives. We will naturally fulfill the great commission because the very way we go about life will testify to our God and we will be so full of Christ we will not be able to withhold sharing the good news. I have great confidence in this class. We ourselves will not offer hope or change the world, but we certainly will be the channels through which God’s change and hope floods the world.
By Robbie Beitman
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