Attention, Graduates!

As a number of others have already pointed out in the blogosphere this New York Times op-ed piece by David Brooks is a must-reed if you are a recent or soon-to-be graduate. In it, Brooks makes a number of good points about the inherent flaws in the system that we have set up. He argues, and rightly so in my opinion, that we have done our graduates very few favors.

Worst of all, they are sent off into this world with the whole baby-boomer theology ringing in their ears. If you sample some of the commencement addresses being broadcast on C-Span these days, you see that many graduates are told to: Follow your passion, chart your own course, march to the beat of your own drummer, follow your dreams and find yourself. This is the litany of expressive individualism, which is still the dominant note in American culture.

But, of course, this mantra misleads on nearly every front...The purpose in life is not to find yourself. It’s to lose yourself.

One very slight word of caution. Brooks suggests that it is into certain tasks that we are to lose ourselves. I agree that there are certainly God-ordained tasks for us (Ephesians 2:10), and we will indeed find fulfillment in executing them. Ultimately though, these tasks are to be a byproduct of a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. It is into that relationship which we are called to lose ourselves (Matthew 16:24). Nevertheless, it is a wonderful piece, full of wisdom for us all. Click here to read the entire column.

(HT: Keith Simon)