An iFuture for graduates

Lind Assembly of God Church

About 15-20 years ago, when many things in our society were going digital, it became common to label them with the letter “e,” for example e-mail, e-business, e-book, and e-banking (“e” of course standing for “electronic”).

Starting with the iMac in 1998, the company Apple has used the letter “i” to market products that we’ve all become very familiar with, such as the iPhone, iPod, iPad and iTunes. Originally, the “i” meant “internet,” but it has come to represent other words like intelligent, individual, innovation, inform and inspire.

Just as these words can explain the “i” in Apple products, I have five “i” words to challenge and encourage this year’s high school graduates. If they incorporate these into their life, I believe they will have a bright future ahead.

The first is “industrious.” Nowadays more and more people are looking for shortcuts to wealth and a secure future. One sign of this is the popularity of lotteries. When the recent multi-state Powerball reached $600 million, I saw news reports of people standing in line for hours to spend money on something they have less chance of winning than being struck by lightning.The Bible is clear, however, concerning the importance of hard work. As the Biblical proverb says, “Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth.”

The second word is “integrity.” I like the saying, “The first price you pay is always the cheapest.” In other words, the longer you wait to do what is right, the costlier it will be to your life. Author and leadership expert John Maxwell defines integrity as “deciding to integrate your heart’s values into your daily actions.” Investing in a life of integrity always pays valuable dividends, as another proverb from the Bible says: “The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity.”

The third word is “intentionality.” There are many people who are waiting for luck to drop into their lap, but I’m sure you have you heard the saying: “The future belongs to those who plan for it.”Determine your goals and the characteristics you’d like to develop in life, and begin working on those now.

The fourth word is “intelligence.” What I mean by this is never stop learning and growing as a person. Just because you’re graduating, it doesn’t mean you should stop learning. Learning, though, is more than just gaining knowledge. Albert Einstein said: “Any fool can know. The point is to understand.” The Bible is even more specific: “Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow his precepts have good understanding.”

The fifth and final word is “influence.” You can be thankful for the many people who have been a positive and helpful influence in your 18 years of life.

Therefore, aspire to have the same type of influence on others. The best way to accomplish this is by following the words of Jesus, known as the Golden Rule: “Do to others as you would have them to do to you.”

Five simple words, but five powerful ideas that will lead you forward to an iFuture filled with success and blessings.

Congratulations on your graduation!