How often is it worth something?
What makes a piece of paper worth nothing and worth a lot?
What’s on the paper.
I recently spent the weekend doing something I never thought I would do in my life, graduate with my MA.
For the past three years I have been working on it.
I have been taking classes while working full time.
I was trying to be a good parent, minister, husband, student and disc golf and hockey player.
On top of this we moved into two houses and closed and moved into a new house while working on my 60 page paper
It was a struggle from who I was and what I was doing to who I wanted to be.
10 years ago I never would have told you I would be a minister.
5 years ago I would have told you that God doesn’t care about a Master’s Degree and I can serve him just fine without it.
Today, I realize I put my foot in my mouth a lot and I am not God.
I like to think and try to have control of my life but as I look back, even the things I had control of I didn’t.
Our thoughts and desires change not just because of us, but because of what God can have planned with us.
Our judgment on ourselves can change and sometimes what we judge or value can change.
Jesus said this in John 7:24…
“Stop judging by mere appearances, and make a right judgment.”
When Jesus told this saying to a group of people, they were translating God’s message wrong and he called them out on it.
We can assume and judge before we truly know what we are saying.
I am shocked that I am done with school.
The feeling has not yet set in.
It’s an accomplishment, but not the main accomplishment for my life.
Even though this diploma cost about $10,000-$20,000 to get, it’s still just a piece of paper.
It doesn’t mean I get to sit at Jesus’s right hand in heaven.
It doesn’t mean I am able to conquer whatever temptation comes my way.
It’s paper, but it’s so much more.
Degree’s take hard work, often a degree shows you have what it takes to fight through the good and the bad and come out in the end.
When I look back at this sheet of paper, I think about all the sacrifice and people to thank because of this.
I had so many people send me congrats cards and show me a lot of love over the past week.
It’s an accomplishment but not the overall goal.
A degree is not the end all.
I am happy I now have a master’s degree, but I know God what’s so much more then that for my life.
A piece of paper won’t change my life, how I respond and act will.
Have a great day.
