If you are looking for unique graduation quotes, here is a list of ten that you probably won’t find on other lists. None of these graduation quotes speak about ceremonies, diplomas, or caps and gowns. But they do address themes common to many graduates who are poised to change the world, but not exactly sure how to do it.
Graduation Quotes from Non-Fiction Books
All the graduation quotes in this section come from explicitly Christian books, except for the quote from The Dash. I have purposely selected quotes in this section that I feel would be suitable for Christians and non-Christians alike. For more information about the sources, please read “Graduation Gift Book Suggestions.
“At the end of every other road-secure and risk-free-we will put our face in our hands and say, ‘I’ve wasted it!'” (from Don’t Waste Your Life by John Piper).
The great fear of many graduates is that they have just received an education that they will not be able to put to use. Many young people are passionate about a certain profession but afraid to take the risks necessary to step into it. No great thing happens without risk.
“The turning points of life, the significant events, are often subtle” (from Esther: A Woman of Strength & Dignity by Charles R. Swindoll).
Graduation feels like a momentous event, a life-changing one. But, really, the turning points are often much harder to identify until they are past. Graduation is a huge achievement, but more hard work lies ahead.
“It’s not the things we get but the hearts we touch that will determine our success in life” (from The Dash by Linda Ellis and Mac Anderson).
Money as a primary motivation in vocation and life will always disappoint.
“Find a piece of paper and a pen. Sit down; think about it; then write your own obituary. Make a list of what you’ll be remembered for” (from The Treasure Principle by Randy Alcorn).
Death and graduation, together? This isn’t a morbid comment. It’s meant to be a literal suggestion-think about the legacy you would leave behind if you died today. If you don’t like that legacy, start changing the way you live. Graduates can’t live for the someday-I-might idea. We only squelch their passion if we suggest that they can’t be of use to society now.
Graduation Quotes from Lists to Live By Lists to Live By is also a book, but is more of an anthology of selections from various sources. The graduation quotes in this section suggest life philosophies.
“Do all the good you can,
By all the means you can,
In all the ways you can,
In all the places you can,
At all the times you can,
To all the people you can,
As long as ever
. can!” (by John Wesley, as quoted in Lists to Live By, compiled by Alice Gray, Steve Stephens, and John Van Diest).
A good piece of advice for us all.
“Who you will be in the next five years depends on three things: the books you read[,] the people you meet[, and] the choices you make” (from The 15-Minute Money Manager by Bob and Emilie Barnes, as quoted in Lists to Live By, compiled by Alice Gray, Steve Stephens, and John Van Diest).
When I was 18 and in a great period of confusion, my father asked me where I wanted to be in my life in 5 years. It was a valuable question, as it forced me to clarify what I really wanted. They weren’t things I could achieve solely on my own, but in all cases, the books I read, the people I met, and the choices I made allowed those dreams to become reality. Education was an important factor, but not the end of the learning process.
Graduation Quotes from the Bible
I could not write an article about graduation quotes without selections from my favorite book.
“Gold there is, and rubies in abundance,
lips that speak knowledge are a rare jewel” (Proverbs 20:15).
Education is meaningless if it doesn’t also impart wisdom.
“Buy the truth and do not sell it;
wisdom, discipline and understanding” (Proverbs 23:23).
Proverbs are helpful for people in all stages of life, but if graduates used them as a foundation for their choices, our world would be a radically different place. A person with wisdom, discipline, understanding, and truth has all the tools he needs to change the world.
“Blessed is the man who finds wisdom,
man who gains understanding,
for she is more profitable than silver
yields better returns than gold.
She is more precious than rubies;
you desire can compare with her” (Proverbs 3:13-15).
Fame and fortune are not the currencies necessary to change the world. Wisdom is.
“‘And who knows but that you have come to royal position for such a time as this?'” (spoken by Mordecai in Esther 4:14b).
Mordecai challenges Esther to take a risk with her life, for the sake of an entire ethnic group. Her choice saves a nation. Encourage the graduates you know not to squander their opportunities. The lives of other people could hang in the balance.
Sources:
John Piper, Don’t Waste Your Life. (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2003).
Charles R. Swindoll, Esther: A Woman of Strength & Dignity. (Nashville: Word Publishing, 1997).
Linda Ellis and Mac Anderson, The Dash: Making a Difference with Your Life. (Naperville: Simple Truths, 2006).
Randy Alcorn, The Treasure Principle. (Sister: Multnomah, 2001).
Alice Gray, Steve Stephens, and John Van Deist, editors, Lists to Live By. (Sisters: Multnomah, 1999).
Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.
