Graduation announcements, invitations, caps and gowns, streamers, balloons, ribbons, and banners are everywhere; it is that time of year. When I am choosing cards to show the graduates in our lives that we wish them well I search carefully, trying to find just the right one for each student. This one needs encouragement to stay positive while that one needs a pat on the back for finishing, and yet another needs to be told to take heart because we believe they can handle what is next. Then yesterday I saw a card that could be my life quote:
“Whatever you are, be a good one.”
Abraham Lincoln
Three things occur to me as I consider these words.
First, they are encouraging to everyone, no matter your situation or circumstances.
Second, President Lincoln specifically did not say “Be the best one.” He said “Be a good one.”I believe this is very important in our cultural, where the drive to be the ‘best’ at something so easily consumes our thinking and our lives. It is too much pressure and an impossible task to be the best at something all the time. The drive to be the best opens the door to perfectionism which is a bondage to the person consumed by it and a hindrance to experiencing God’s peace.
Third, how well these words line up with scripture. The bible tells us that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. Clearly this quote shows us that Abraham Lincoln’s heart was full of God’s truth.
Genesis 4:7
If you do what is right, will you not be accepted?
But if you do not do what is right,
sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you,
but you must rule over it.
Psalm 106:3
Blessed are those who act justly, who always do what is right.
Romans 12:17
Do not repay anyone evil for evil.
Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone
No matter what our job is, no matter who we are in relationship with, we can choose to be good. How can we be good? Since there was only One who was ever good? We can love God, love others and choose to do what is right. We cannot do it perfectly but we can do it faithfully. Think you don’t have enough faith to do that? I completely understand. God has provided a safety net, His mercy is new every morning, so we can cry out to Him, “God, please help my unbelief, I want to trust You and put You first, please deliver me from evil. In Jesus name, amen.”
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