A Commencement Address for the Class of 2019

On this beautiful day of graduation, skies are blue, bright with sunshine, big sky, clear for as far as one can see into the future, there is but one little cloud way off, barely seen, just above the far horizon, the size of a man’s hand. It will grow bigger as time flies. The cloud represents death. You graduates will one day die. It is appointed unto humanity to die.

So the advice of this commencement messenger is live well; work hard, be honest, be brave, do right, honor your family, your nation, and God: believe and know that your life is valuable and precious, and meaningful, and can yield one hundred fold of influence upon those around you, around the world, and the generation following, no matter how famous or little-known you may become.

Every life and family is a building block in constructing a great edifice like our nation. Your life will, too, have eternal consequences for you, and, perhaps, others. So seek to make those everlasting things the glorious blessings possible.

But how can you do that? How can you make your life so special?

Once King Solomon of Judah, the wisest man in the world, gave this sentence that is your answer. Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man (Ecclesiastes 12:13).