Academy Award-winning actor Denzel Washington’s very first piece of advice
Saturday for graduates of Dillard University consisted of just three words.
“Number one,” he said slowly and resolutely. “Put. God. First!”
“Put God first in everything you do. Everything you have is by the grace of
God. Understand that. It’s a gift.”
The actor, who received an honorary doctorate from the New Orleans’ school,
told a story about his life 40 years earlier. He had a 1.7 grade point
average and without direction in life. But he related that God has been
with him, that “I’ve been protected, I’ve been directed, I’ve been
corrected. I’ve kept God in my life and it’s kept me humble.”
“Stick with Him in everything you do. I didn’t always stick with Him, but
He’s always stuck with me.”
During the rest of his brief commencement address (just over 10 minutes)
Washington urged graduates to “fail big” and take chances. But in regard to
material things, he cautioned that “you will never see a U-Haul behind a
hearse.”
“I pray that you put your slippers way under your bed tonight,” the actor
noted toward the end of his time behind the podium, “so that when you wake
up in the morning you have to get on your knees to reach them.
“And while you’re down there, say thank you. Thank you for grace, thank you
for mercy, thank you for understanding, thank you for wisdom, thank you for
parents, thank you for love, thank you for kindness, thank you for humility,
thank you for peace, thank you for prosperity. Say thank you in advance for
what’s already yours.”
“Don’t just aspire to make a living,” he concluded, “aspire to make a
difference.”
~~
Dr Bob Griffin
[email protected] www.grif.net
“Jesus Knows Me, This I Love!”