Last May, I walked across the stage at Aurora University barefooted and laughed at it with the president as she handed my a box that my diploma would later go in. This diploma was to be mailed out at the end of June and received after I left for the World Race.
But the diploma never came in the mail and I never realized it because I was across the world. It wasn’t until just recently that I notified by my University about an error that had been made. Without me or my academic advisor realizing it, I was one credit our short of receiving my diploma. The diploma was never mailed because the registrar caught the error.
When you’re halfway around the world, the last thing you want to hear is that you haven’t finished college and you have to take one more class. When you’re in the middle of month 10, the last thing you want to hear is that you have to do one more thing in order to prepare for your next step after the race (even if you don’t know what it is).
My pride and my plan were shot.But the truth is, I don’t currently have a diploma. I haven’t earned my degree. And there is nothing I can do to change the way the cookie has crumbled.
But the truth goes a bit deeper than that. When I do finally get my diploma, I STILL HAVEN’T EARNED IT.
When I look back at my college career the first thing I realize is I never should have gotten in or gone. I missed 110 total days of school my freshman and sophomore year of high school and I still graduated on time.
Then I realized not only did I graduate but I graduated at the top of my class. All of this allowing me to get accepted into college.
Then I think about the scholarship money I received which enabled me to attended after acceptance. I got more money than people with higher GPAs and better ACT scores received. It was that extra money that made the difference.
Then I think about what I did in college. I barely showed up to class. One class I missed so many times it was through a lie from a classmate I still have never met or spoken to that got me a passing grade.
Then I think about the effort I put in, typically only the bare minimum. But I still finished with all As and Bs. And with honor cords and some random achievement award I don’t even know the name of. And none of this seems to add up.
So how did this happen? How is it that I did so much to throw away the opportunity to earn a college degree and still get one?
The answer is not because I’m smart enough to pass a test with out studying or read. The answer isn’t because of anything I could of done. The truth is I did not earn my college degree. The truth is, it is ONLY BY THE GRACE OF GOD THAT I HAVE A DEGREE (or the opportunity to have one).
It was God. It was an absurd amount of favor and love and patience and grace that enable me to walk across the stage in May of last year. The truth is I did nothing at all to earn it. It was all God.
The truth is:
WHEN I FINALLY HAVE MY DIPLOMA I STILL WON’T HAVE EARNED IT. It wasn’t me but God.
