Sunday I taught a group of college students about a framework for interpreting a section of Colossians. Maybe I’ll teach you about it someday. At the end of class, I digressed. I said something like this:
“You are heading to college this week, some of you,” I said. “You will have to choose topics and write papers. You will have to give speeches. You will have to make some choices about books, about courses. So when you have the option, be intentional. Spend all your options on something that matters.”
“Don’t write a ‘how-to’ speech about ‘how to make a peanut butter sandwich.’ I heard those speeches back when I taught speech. Instead, do a how-to speech about how to drill a well in a village in Africa so the girls don’t have to walk for hours to get water that will make them sick anyway and keep them out of school.”
“Don’t write a research paper about some random topic in economics that is on the list of recommended topics and that is successful because it uses five sources (three not on the Internet) and has the right number of footnotes. Learn about microfinance and make an investment equal to a round of drinks into a woman who is raising chickens to sell the eggs to feed her family.”
“Don’t do what I did for four years of college,” I said, which was to write speeches about peanut butter and papers about things that didn’t matter. “Start creating your legacy now rather than waiting til 54.”
“Careers are stupid,” I also said. And then I amended that. “Careers are what God uses to connect you with the people he wants you to talk with. He couldn’t care less about careers. He cares a lot about people.”
And then I blessed them.
300 words a day 
Joanna Paterson (@joannapaterson)
And maybe doesn’t even care what you write about or which options you choose – maybe just – how you work, write, teach, share and learn with others, and how you deal with the regrets about the things you (and I) didn’t learn, teach and write about 😉
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Jon Swanson
Morning Joanna! As I read what Jesus taught, there is a very clear sense of How i do things mattering a lot. And even about the dealing with regrets.
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Frank Reed
Good advice, Jon. One thing I would caution against for you though is the bemoaning the waiting until 54. I am 48 and suffer from similar sounding ‘regrets’ or concerns.
That is until I recognize the sovereignty of God. My pastor yesterday said that a study done of 100 characters in the Bible revealed that 2/3 of them fell short and lost their way in the second half of their life.
My response? So maybe having the feeling of having lost my way this first part is simply God’s preparation for my story being one of finishing strong. I like that idea and I know God can do it through me.
That’s how I am training myself to look at things now. The past is gone. We give to others in today and today only. Oh, and nothing, no matter how much it bothers us about what we have or have not done, has gone on without a purpose from our Creator. Not a single thing or a single second.
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Jon Swanson
I understand what you are saying, Frank. I’m acutely aware of the parts of preparation. For example, I had a horrible time helping my sister with algebra because it was, for me, intuitive. It was much easier for me to help people with communication anxiety in a speech classroom because I understood that anxiety. I taught study skills for awhile precisely because I understood what it was like to have none.
What I want to believe is that when I was talking with those college students, I was using some of missed opportunities to help them to not miss opportunities.
What I’m aware of is the risk of using that approach more for sympathy than for challenge.
Thank you to both Joanna and Frank for pushing back at this. I am grateful for my friends.
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cjhinx
Our lives are a testimony of God working in and through us. Each of us has a different testimony and a different journey all for a specific purpose.
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Jon Swanson
and in spite of us, sometimes. 🙂
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Matt Curcio
As a college senior who is constantly working to mentor and encourage First Year students. This post is brilliant! Spot On. Thanks for sharing.
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Jon Swanson
thanks for stopping by, Matt!
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Laura
THANK YOU for this! My husband & I love college students & take every opportunity to pour into them because of their intensity. My message often echoes yours because of my own experience. I have often wished I had chosen a more “usable” degree than sociology, but I felt called into that degree while in college. Using every presentation & paper to address sanctity of life issues, I researched & shared with boldness for those 2 years, probably to the chagrin of my classmates & professors. However, after graduation, one of my classmates came to the pregnancy clinic where I worked for a pregnancy test. She had no idea I was there that day–I hid out in the back room as soon as I saw her. But in the intake process, she shared with her counselor that “some girl in my senior seminar talked about abortion, so I knew I couldn’t do that.” Regardless of whether I use that degree ever in my life, it was worth it for that one life to be preserved.
Another soapbox I address with the college students in my sphere of influence is encouraging them not to be so overly focused on going to “the mission field” when the biggest mission field in their lives is ON THE CAMPUS. Too many students are focused on “God’s call” on their lives like it’s some great someday concept & don’t realize that God’s call on their lives is to be IN CLASS working with excellence to the glory of God, as a witness to professors & classmates around them. My biggest mantra: “GO TO CLASS!” 😉
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Jon Swanson
Laura, as a former prof, I love the ‘go to class’ challenge. And you are a perfect example of the focused study approach. Thank you!
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AJ Leon (@ajleon)
Love this. 🙂
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