2018 Graduation Message
(delivered on April 6, 2018 during the 31st MCC HS Graduation Exercises)
I would like to take this opportunity to thank our beloved principal, Mrs. Fe T. Colinco, my maninay. She is an inspiration and a good model to us when it comes to generosity, humility, commitment to the Great Commission, and faithfulness in serving the Lord. Thank you maninay for your support, as well as for your presence today.
Before everyone begins to think that I am delivering a valedictory address, allow me to share this short but meaningful message, something that I also try to live by.
Is Your Foundation Sure?
There is this story of an OFW who did well abroad and was able to earn and send back home his hard- earned money for the construction of his dream house. After many years, the project was completed. Behold, it was a big and beautiful house that any neighbor would envy. But there was a problem! The house was built on the wrong lot. And not only that, the owner of the lot wanted the house removed.
Parents, graduates, ladies and gentlemen… we all want to be victorious in life. I think that is one of the reasons why we’re here today… to celebrate and share the joy of every graduate and parent in this milestone. And of course… that is what our theme for today’s event is about – being victorious in life.
We want to be winners in life. We don’t want to lose. We want to rule. We want to succeed. We move from one adventure to another, collecting trophies, honors, degrees, and achievements from one competition to another. And because of that, we invest our youth, our energy, our knowledge, our precious time, money, and resources for great and noble goals in life, and ultimately to experience what they call – ‘the good life.’
Unfortunately, it is not unlikely that even after we have achieved our cherished goals and dreams in life – a high paying job, a successful professional career, a beautiful house, a loving spouse, wonderful kids, and maybe for some, a million likes in our Facebook posts, we would still end up disappointed, dissatisfied, and unhappy as we wonder what worthy challenge remains to be conquered.
The Divine Mandate
As God’s creation, we have been designed to rule, to be fruitful, and productive (Gen 1:26-28), which explains why we compete, why we race, and why we pursue things so as not to be left behind, thinking that such worldly achievements would make us successful.
However, as we pursue success, God has also placed eternity in our hearts (Ecclesiastes 3:11), a huge vacuum that we try to fill in our lifetime. Sadly, if we don’t get it right, if we have a wrong thinking, a perspective that is contrary to God’s plan for us, we might end up just like the OFW who invested all he had in building a house on the wrong lot.
Be Rich Toward God
Dear graduates, and also for those who still feel, and think like young graduates, I challenge and exhort you to live a life that is rich towards God, and that is to succeed at what truly matters!
I have served in the military for almost three decades. I have listened to great leaders speak. I have attended lectures of distinguished individuals. I have read books of great authors. Amidst new perspectives, paradigms, models, and philosophies on success, the Word of God has not changed, and will always remain the same.
To our graduates, in order to succeed in life, in order to be victorious… guard your heart, guard the cravings of your heart. In Luke 12:15, it says, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
Remember this, success is not based on what you have or what you have achieved. Don’t be like the rich fool in the parable who was never satisfied and wanted more even if his barns were already full. In Mark 8:36, it says, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
True Success
Success from God’s perspective is not about accumulating wealth, fame, and power. In Ecclesiastes, King Solomon found these things as meaningless and a great misfortune: “For a person may labor with wisdom, knowledge and skill, and then they must leave all they own to another who has not toiled for it.” In the book #Lifegoals, it says, “The best things in life are not things. True success lies not in what we can keep for ourselves but in what can enrich others.” To succeed is to have the right attitude – that is by guarding your heart from greed, from an attitude of accumulation and possession.
On the other hand, true success is not measured by what we have but by how much treasure we have stored in heaven. In Matt 6:19-21, it says, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The fault of the rich man in the parable is that he had a wrong view of success, one that is based on accumulation and possession – a self-centered pursuit of counterfeit success.
In other words, the road towards true success is knowing where to set our hearts on. Therefore, I challenge you to aim for success that lasts. Instead of being fixated on temporal things, strive for things that would outlast your earthly existence. Invest on what is most important – your relationship with God. Someday, when we finally appear before God, it would either be a time of great joy or deep sorrow.
Dear graduates, true success is not about us. It’s all about God. “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matt 6:33). Pursue God’s kingdom through a life that strives to become Christ-like, a life that abounds in good works, and a life of soul-winning and discipleship.
To succeed, one must have the right mindset – that is by having a kingdom-minded mentality. For this world is not our home, we’re just passing through. Our final destination is heaven, hence, we store our treasures in heaven as we offer to God our life’s work. Life, spelled L, I, F, E could also be an acronym that stands for LABOR, INFLUENCE, FINANCES and EXPERTISE. We can give our labor by serving in the ministry as a missionary, pastor, Sunday school teacher, choir member, deacon, or in any other capacity. We may also use our influence to open doors for ministry. We may give our finances or our money, or we may share our expertise to support God’s work.
However, to succeed, it’s not enough that we have the right attitude and mindset in life. We must also succeed in balancing life. The life of our Lord Jesus Christ is the best example for this. In Luke 2:52, it says, “Jesus grew both in body and in wisdom, gaining favor with God and people (GNT).”
Life is full of challenges. There will be trials, difficulties, disappointments, frustrations, and even failures. Hence, we must endeavor to grow and be healthy in all aspects to overcome life’s toughest challenges.
First, be physically and mentally healthy. Obviously, we need a healthy body to undertake God’s work. Not only that, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. We have been bought with a price. Therefore, we should honor God with our bodies (I Corinthians 6:19). Moreover, to be mentally healthy, is to safeguard our thoughts. In Romans 12:2, it says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Secondly, we should maintain healthy relationships with people around us – our parents, friends, and to our graduates, in the future, to your boss, subordinates, spouse, and children. American President Theodore Roosevelt once said and I quote, “The most important single ingredient in the formula of success is knowing how to get along with people.”
Thirdly, to succeed, which I believe is the most important, is to be spiritually healthy. Even if we do well in developing both mind and body, and in maintaining good relationships, we will still fail if we neglect our relationship with God. For a truly victorious Christian life is a life of intimacy with God because apart from God, we can do nothing (John 15:4-5).
What Truly Matters
In closing, to succeed in life, guard the cravings of your heart, have a kingdom mindset by putting God first in all aspects of your life, and succeed in balancing life by growing in stature, wisdom, and favor before God and men.
It is my prayer that when we enter heaven, we will hear our master, the Lord Jesus Christ say, “welcome, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your King.” That, brothers and sisters in the Lord is an affirmation that you have achieved success that truly matters!
(Reference: #Lifegoals: Succeed At What Truly Matters)
The valedictorian of MCC HS Class 1989, Col. Stephen Agtoto joined the Philippine Navy shortly after graduating from the Philippine Military Academy in 1994. A Doctor in Public Administration, he is at present Command Registrar of the Armed Forces of Philippines Education, Training and Doctrine Command in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City.