Congratulations to our graduates! All the hard work you accomplished is now being rewarded. You are now adults (actually you have been for a while) but now the doors are wide open. You can do anything you set your minds to do. But you will have to work hard to achieve your goals. There are people and things that will sidetrack you along the way. It is your choice to give in to temptation or to choose to stand for the beliefs you have. Many of you have college plans. Others may seek the military as their career choice. And some of you will enter the work field. As you do this let me share a verse of scripture with you. “And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two miles.” (Matthew 5:41, NASB) Sometimes we call this second mile Christianity. The idea is to do more than is asked of you. As you do you will succeed. Always be sure to do your job, but do a little more than is asked. Don’t just do enough just to get by. Someone might say, “But what if I do that and others around me are not doing what they should? That means I would be doing more than them.” Yes, and it will be noticed. When the time for promotion comes are they going to choose the lazy person or the worker? I would choose the one who is working the hardest and I believe most employers would do the same. Also, once you set your goal, do everything to achieve it. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it. Again a verse of scripture from a wise man states, “For as he thinks within himself so is he…” (Proverbs 23:7, NASB) If you think you can do it you can. If you think you can’t do it you are already defeated. The key to this is that you will be working to achieve it. You can’t just sit back and expect things to happen. You will have to study long hours, learn the job or whatever it takes. I’m reminded of the man who saw targets with bulls eyes in every one of them as he drove along. He asked the farmer if he knew who the good shot was. He replied it was he who had done that. He was amazed that he could shoot so well. His reply was, “It isn’t too hard. I just shoot and draw a target around it.” Needless to say that takes no effort at all. Go forth and do well. But these words I have written apply to each one of us also. We also need to work to achieve our goals. We need to do more than asked. After all, isn’t that what a servant does? Great words for graduates and for me...and you.