"Decide on your own standards and then live by them!” booms through the speakers and across the audience. At high school and college graduations across the nation each year, it’s typical for the commencement speech to include phrases that will inspire the audience. These public orations contain familiar expressions and sayings that sound logical, positive, sincere and emotional—but are they accurate? How do they measure up to the written Word of God?

If Jesus Christ were invited to give a graduation speech today, what would He say; what wouldn’t He say? How might the words of the resurrected Christ be received by those listening? And how would His message for the graduates be different from the graduation speech you heard last year or the one you will hear next year? In this article, we’ll take a look at five of the most often repeated and accepted “truths” frequently professed at graduation ceremonies, and see how they measure up to the Word of God.

1. Be true to yourself

This is a common phrase, but did Jesus ever say this? Quite the opposite. Instead, our Creator said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The phrase, “Be true to yourself,” implies that each person knows what is best for themselves. And while each individual has talents, abilities and goals, we all need guidance and direction from our Creator. The book of Proverbs (written by one of the wisest men who ever lived) warns us, “He who trusts in his own heart is a fool . . .” (Proverbs 28:26), and instead admonishes us to, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding,” (Proverbs 3:5, emphasis added).

Besides seeking God’s instructions, we are directed to take advantage of our parents’ experience and wisdom, as it says in Proverbs 6:20-22 and 13:1. In fact, one of the most important lessons we should learn in life is that we aren’t born with wisdom—wisdom must be developed through study and effort. Trusting in yourself sounds wise and self-sufficient, but that path is dangerous and ultimately leads to destruction. We would do well to heed the words of Solomon when he wrote: “. . . incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding . . . then you will understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God” (Proverbs 2:2, 5).

2. Follow your heart

Students today are encouraged to find their own “moral compass”—their own set of beliefs and values regarding right and wrong—but what did Jesus say? He actually said the opposite, and instructed us to deny ourselves and instead, to “follow Me” (Matthew 16:24). Why? Because as our Creator (Colossians 1:16), Christ knows that the hearts of men and women are deceitful (Jeremiah 17:9). He said, “For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies” (Matthew 15:19). Because of this, Christ taught that the heart of a person can change and needs to! In fact, the Eternal promised that “a new heart” will be given to us when we determine to follow God’s laws and become converted (Ezekiel 36:26).

Rather than following our own hearts, the Bible often warns us to guard against following the dictates of our hearts and emotions. Proverbs 14:12 speaks to this, saying, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Emotions and feelings are an important part of life, and a blessing from God if experienced in a right way! Following one’s emotions, however, can lead to making life-altering mistakes, like sexual sins, reaching adulthood without adequate education, bankruptcy, and many others. Remember that our Creator placed your head above your heart, perhaps implying that our minds must rule over our emotions. Rather than seeking to live by our own “truth,” let’s be diligent to follow the real Truth. In Jesus’ own words, “Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (John 17:17).

3. Believe in yourself

Jesus didn’t say anything like this. He actually said, “. . . you believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1). We can believe in the Father and Son because They are perfect—They only speak things which are true and it is impossible for Them to lie. When we find ourselves in the midst of difficult trials, it might be beneficial to remember Paul’s encouraging words, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me” (Philippians 4:13). In fact, Paul is an excellent example of belief in Christ, and his life is a testimony to that belief.

Many people in our society today claim to believe IN Christ, but they don’t want to BELIEVE Christ—very few are actually willing to DO what Christ said to do. Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Matthew 7:21). Consider the example of Paul when Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus: A bright light shone, blinding Paul while Jesus reveals that it was He whom Paul had been persecuting. Paul comes to understand this and changes from a life of persecuting Christians to a life of preaching the gospel. Paul believed Him and lived his life acting out those beliefs, giving his best and working hard at everything that he did. Doesn’t even Ecclesiastes 9:10 tell us, “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might…”? We shouldn’t forget, however, that it is God’s Spirit, working with our spirit of man, which enables us to accomplish so much more than we can by ourselves.

4. Do what makes you happy

Happiness is a wonderful thing! We all want to be happy, but what is it that truly makes people happy? Don’t assume that happiness is the result of wealth, status, fame or possessions. Do you remember the rhetorical question Jesus asked? “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26). How would you answer this question?

We live in a society that idolizes people who are renowned in the sports or entertainment industries, yet the “happiness” they portray is often a mirage. We regularly hear of famous people who experience broken lives of failed marriages, substance abuse, and (all too often) early death. The praise of men is fleeting at best. Happiness encompasses feelings of satisfaction and contentment, and Jesus equated happiness with inner peace. “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27). Happiness, as given to us through Christ, is different than the “happiness” offered by society around us. The Creator intends for us to experience the right kind of pleasure which brings true and lasting happiness.

King David wrote about following God, “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11). What kind of pleasure does God intend for us? The most rewarding happiness in this life comes from family. God intended husbands and wives to rejoice together (Proverbs 5:18; Psalm 127:3-5). But Satan the Devil hates the family structure God created, and Satan especially hates children. That’s why Satan—the god of this world—has deceived society into believing lies about gender, about the proper respect we should have for life, and about the source of real happiness and peace.

Real happiness and peace are the result of knowing and obeying our Creator and Savior. He wants to fill you with happiness! As Paul wrote, “Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace . . .” (Romans 15:13).

5. The future is in your hands

This is partially true, at least concerning the effort you put forth in your own life. God offers each of us the choice between life and death, and it would be most logical for us to choose life (Deuteronomy 30:19). We are to follow God’s teachings, work hard, live a life that is a good example to others, and reap the blessings of doing so, but we cannot change what will ultimately happen to the world in the future.

There are end-time troubles on the horizon that are poised to occur in the very near future, but the good news is that those trials will not last forever! The end-time tribulations that will shake the whole earth are designed to act as WAKE-UP CALLS to a world deceived by Satan, but after a relatively short time, Jesus Christ will return as King of kings and will bring with Him real peace and true, lasting happiness to the entire earth. And actually, part of this future is in your hands—you can be part of Jesus Christ’s future government! Notice Christ’s promise in Revelation 2:26 and 3:21: “And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations . . . To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Wow—that sounds like real happiness for all time!

The most wonderful, lasting promises are given to us as a result of being true to God, following His instructions, believing in His words and promises, doing what is pleasing to Him, and placing our trust in God for both our future and the future of the world around us. Now that would be an inspiring graduation speech!