ÿWPCä O3㩵Z(ü¬ŸpïCJ¢˜Q†¨@}úûz¥±oè.f%ºzOÁÿ¡Ónà—õ“’;UdÍ+õa{l·2P´†0d»îøÈ™Ïè úØl‚]hˆùlK4a°Ÿœk&Øgr³å„L¾½¤¥+¿°Q!ÚM„Åó¡µ C` ßBÞŠmÈárdÒ„…M/ ë Ñ׈9sDf§£‚½äÔç+PÄt½Ð¹ÝÉw1¸]¶ŒÏÒ8("}=k`óõì4ã…®\.‚˜ê-‹!ˆJ}sXáʰGÂ)ñè¡;¡Íö_†rëj³64ÂO/Ô“¾®_,+ñ&F!ÞN½ J  !`yãŒï®Ÿ×Ÿ¤1Ù¡aîTÊõÞ")Åï²xµ„¡4ÖF¬µMqXOÁÜáN.ª&;tiîLRZ±t›€å±*¯~lžðrFQdŠ5føž&ïîO!}A0ëé5؉@cá9M^z(¯Ùó°ùN>jfB$ÿÐÍÑ'?­VFJ¾ X8ú#løQ„‹c—3•²j|¾ŠÊyð,?ÊNGkW“£FG±ÊÔm‰Z-¦»¡Ûvtù­¶¼îhG𦪒è¸Ä²Y`Iy^h"¿\éõ#É4UNý %K 0‘Qwâ4æúUT UH]U@¥UHåå--UH5^ }}N‰‹ mU@¤˜OKI C5150ÈÈÈÈÈÈÈÈ0(ÖÃ9 Z ‹6Times New Roman RegularX(iàè$¡¡Òò°ÒÒò°ÒÑòîÑÑòîÑÔ€NG<NXXÔÓ³ûÓNy/23|x0^˱A ‹<Albertville Extrabold Bold*†‰   ‹0Times New Roman Bold<™¦v 9  ‹(Courier New Bold*†‰   ‹0Times New Roman Bold*†‰   ‹0Times New Roman Boldòˆ°2  ÿU‹ÿÀÀÀ(Ör Z‹(Times New Roman Ý ƒàè!ÝÒò°ÒÒò°ÒÑò°ÑÑò°ÑÔ€N¬àLXXÔÓ³ûÓÝ  ÝÔ_ÔÑ8€udXdìdÈ8ÑÌà@CC!ìàò òTwo€Modern€Parablesó óˆÐ Ôâ Ðà@  ìà(Address€to€the€Graduates€of€Pillar€of€Fire€Schools,€1996)ˆÐ ´Â Ðà@úú"ìàDonald€J.€WolframˆÐ –¤ ÐÌà J àò òð ðWisdom€is€the€principal€thing;€therefore€get€wisdom:€and€with€all€thy€getting€getÐ Zh Ðunderstanding.ððó ó€(Proverbs€4:7)Ð : H ÐÌà J àò òòòð ðThe€fear€of€the€Lord€is€the€beginning€of€wisdom:€and€the€knowledge€of€the€holy€isÐ   Ðunderstanding.ððó óóó€(Prov.€9:10)Ð à î  ÐÌà J àÔ€NßLLN¬àÔð ðIt€is€written:€I€will€destroy€the€wisdom€of€the€wise,€and€the€cleverness€of€theÐ ¦ ´  Ðclever€I€will€thwart.€For€after€that€in€the€wisdom€of€God€the€world€by€wisdom€knewÐ ¡¯  Ðnot€God,€it€pleased€God€by€the€foolishness€of€preaching€to€save€them€that€believe.ðð€Ô€ Nê LLNßÔò ò(1Ð œª  ÐCor.€1:19„20,€RSV)€€€€€€ó óÐ —¥  ÐÌà J àÔ€ N LL Nê Ôð ðLet€the€word€of€Christ€dwell€in€you€richly€in€all€wisdom;Ð We Ðteaching€and€admonishing€one€another€in€psalms€and€hymns€andÐ 1? Ðspiritual€songs,€singing€with€grace€in€your€hearts€to€the€Lord.€AndÐ   Ðwhatsoever€ye€do€in€word€or€deed,€do€all€in€the€name€of€the€LordÐ åó ÐJesus,€giving€thanks€to€God€and€the€Father€by€him.ðð€Ô€ Nê LL N Ô(Col.€3:16)Ð ¿Í ÐÌÓf÷³ûÓÔ€Nê LL Nê ÔÔ‡N¬àLLNê Ôà J àThis€is€a€commencement€address.€It€is€not€a€Sunday€morning€sermon,€nor€a€baccalaureateÐ Žœ Ðspeech,€but€if€it€sounds€like€either€of€these,€then€perhaps€it€is€because€I€have€been€thinking€along€suchÐ R` Ðlines.€€You€are€familiar€with€the€term€ð ðparable.ðð€Our€Lord€frequently€used€parables,€as€we€know.Ð $ ÐSomeone€has€described€a€parable€as€ð ðan€earthly€story€with€a€heavenly€meaning.ðð€€Usually€they€areÐ Úè Ðfictitious,€although€some€Bible€scholars€state€that€some€of€the€parables€of€Christ€related€to€actual€peopleÐ ž¬ Ðand€events.Ð b p  Ðà J àRecently€I€came€across€a€letter€and€a€book.€The€letter€had€just€arrived,€and€was€the€currentÐ &"4" Ðnewsletter€of€Dr.€James€Dobson,€of€Focus€on€the€Family.€€He€gave€a€remarkable,€and€almostÐ ê#ø$ Ðunbelievable,€account€of€a€17„year„old€girl€who€had€taken€two€difficult€tests,€and€had€not€made€a€singleÐ ®%¼!& Ðmistake€on€either.€One€was€a€test€some€of€you€graduates€may€have€taken€recently.€It€was€the€ScholasticÐ r'€#( ÐAchievement€Test.€She€scored,€we€understand,€a€perfect€800€on€each€section.€€The€other€was€a€difficultÐ 6)D%* Ðtest€called€the€University€of€California€acceptance€test.€In€this€she€scored€a€perfect€8,000.€No€one€hasÐ ú*', Ðever€before€done€what€this€17„year„old€girl,€Karen€Cheng,€has€done.Ð ¾,Ì(. Ðà J àAlthough€Karen€is€a€straight€A€student€at€a€San€Jose€high€school,€she€says€that€she€is€a€ð ðtypicalÐ ò Ðteenager.ðð€She€goes€on€to€say€that€she€ð ðmunches€on€junk€food€and€talks€for€hours€on€the€telephone€withÐ ¶Ä Ðher€friends.ðð€€She€also€says€she€is€a€procrastinator€ð ðwho€doesnððt€do€her€homework€until€the€last€minute.ðð€Ð zˆ ÐThat€doesnððt€sound€very€good,€does€it?Ð > L Ðà J àKarenððs€teachers,€however,€€speak€of€her€ð ðunquenchable€thirst€for€knowledge€and€her€uncannyÐ   Ðability€to€retain€what€she€reads.ðð€€€She€says€she€ð ðwants€to€be€a€lawyer€and€then€a€judge.ðð€Already€sheÐ Æ Ô  Ðð ðhas€been€accepted€for€admission€to€Harvard€University.ðð€It€is€no€wonder,€is€it?€Many€colleges€andÐ Š˜  Ðuniversities€would€be€happy€to€have€her€on€campus.Ð N\  Ðà J àA€reporter€asked€this€amazing€young€woman,€ð ðWhat€is€the€meaning€of€life?ðð€€Could€you€guessÐ   Ðwhat€her€answer€was?€This€is€it.€€Listen€carefully.€€ð ðòòI€have€no€idea.€€I€would€likeóó€òòto€know€myself.ðð€óó€€€€€€€Ð Öä Ðà J àDr.€Dobsonððs€publisher€brought€together€groups€of€young€people€around€the€country€to€see€whatÐ š¨ Ðtheir€major€needs€and€stress€points€were.€Although€many€of€these€young€people€professed€to€beÐ ^l ÐChristians,€ð ðthe€most€common€characteristic€to€emerge€was€€òòthe€absence€of€meaning€in€lifeóó.ðð€€Isnððt€thatÐ "0 Ðtragic?€You€who€have€attended€a€Christian€school,€should€know€something€about€the€meaning€of€life,Ð æô Ðand€I€trust€that€you€do.€You€should€know€that€God€has€given€each€of€us€an€important€work€to€do€forÐ ª¸ ÐHim€in€the€world,€in€the€salvation€of€precious€souls,€and€the€elevation€of€mankind.€Unfortunately,€thereÐ n| Ðis€little€or€nothing€about€this€to€be€found€in€the€typical€public€school€of€today.Ð 2 @  Ðà J àRecently€a€book€of€fiction€came€to€my€attention€that€was€published€before€some€of€your€parents,Ð ö!" Ðor€even€grandparents,€€were€born,€in€1929,€some€67€years€ago.€That€was€some€time€before€World€WarÐ º#È$ ÐII,€as€you€students€of€history€know.€The€story€began„„and€ended„„with€the€thought€of€purchasing€anÐ ~%Œ!& Ðautomobile.€You€might€ask,€ð ðWhat€is€so€unusual€about€the€buying€of€an€automobile?ðð€Itððs€done€everyÐ B'P#( Ðday€by€someone,€even€by€teen€agers.Ð )%* Ðà J àFor€years€a€business€man€had€struggled€and€struggled€to€make€money,€and€he€had€done€prettyÐ Ê*Ø&, Ðwell€at€it.€He€was€very€generous€to€his€wife€and€children.€His€oldest€daughter€was€a€senior€just€about€toÐ Ž,œ(. Ðgraduate€from€high€school,€and€her€brother€was€just€a€little€younger.€Then€there€was€a€younger€daughter,Ð ò Ðand€still€a€younger€daughter€and€son.€€The€family€had€a€lovely€home,€and€the€children€went€to€the€bestÐ ¶Ä Ðof€schools,€but€now€the€father€was€thinking€of€building€a€new€and€larger€home,€for€he€was€about€to€signÐ zˆ Ða€contract€that€would€bring€in€more€money,€lots€of€money.€Ð > L Ðà J àIt€was€almost€Christmas,€and€he€was€thinking€of€buying€his€oldest€daughter€a€new€car.€He€hadÐ   Ðbeen€looking€over€the€different€models€in€the€show€room.€In€fact,€he€almost€missed€his€train€back€to€theÐ Æ Ô  Ðsuburbs.€€Would€he€buy€her€the€yellow€one?€No,€that€was€too€flashy.€The€blue€model€was€veryÐ Š˜  Ðhandsome,€but€perhaps€the€deep€green€would€be€best.Ð N\  Ðà J àThen,€on€the€commuter€train,€as€he€was€glancing€at€the€evening€paper€he€had€picked€up€at€theÐ   Ðstation€out€of€habit,€he€overheard€two€high€school€lads€not€far€in€front€of€him€in€their€noisy€conversationÐ Öä Ðconcerning€their€conquests.€€€He€didnððt€pay€much€attention€to€their€loud€talk,€that€is,€until€he€heard€oneÐ š¨ Ðof€the€boys€mention€his€oldest€daughterððs€name.€€Instantly€he€was€alert,€and€what€he€heard€mortified€andÐ ^l Ðsickened€him.€€Should€he€throttle€these€high€school€boys?€That€one,€at€least?Ð "0 Ðà J àWhen€he€got€home€his€eyes€began€to€open€concerning€his€children.€His€oldest€daughter,€whomÐ æô Ðhe€had€petted€and€coddled,€had€become€disrespectful€and€irreligious.€€His€oldest€son€had€begun€toÐ ª¸ Ðgamble.€Both€had€begun€to€smoke.€Ð n| Ðà J àWhat€kind€of€father€was€this€man,€to€bring€up€his€children€in€this€way?€He€had€been€brought€upÐ 2 @  Ðby€a€godly€mother.€He€had€gone€to€church.€He€had€been€generous€in€his€giving€to€charitable€causes.€HeÐ ö!" Ðhad€even€been€elected€as€an€elder€in€his€stylish€and€wealthy€congregation.€What€had€gone€wrong?Ð º#È$ Ðà J àLittle€by€little€he€realized€that€his€children€had€imbibed€the€deadly€attitudes€of€the€popularÐ ~%Œ!& Ðculture€of€their€schools€and€their€well„to„do€friends.€There€was€no€right€or€wrong.€After€all,€according€toÐ B'P#( Ðtheir€teachers,€evolution€accounted€for€the€presence€of€man€on€the€earth.€There€was€no€God.€That€wasÐ )%* Ðall€the€superstitious€residue€of€previous€generations.Ð Ê*Ø&, Ðà J àWhat€could€he€do€about€the€situation?€€He€decided€on€drastic€action:€he€would€€pack€up€theÐ Ž,œ(. Ðfamily€and€take€them€to€the€old€family€farm€in€Vermont€where€he€had€been€brought€up.€€There€was€noÐ ò Ðelectricity€or€running€water€there,€and€it€was€miles€from€any€large€town,€but€maybe€some€change€couldÐ ¶Ä Ðbe€brought€about€in€his€childrenððs€attitudes€and€actions,€and€even€in€his€own€and€his€wifeððs.€€€Ð zˆ Ðà J àIn€the€old€farmhouse€he€found€his€motherððs€well„worn€Bible,€a€book€he€had€neglected€for€a€longÐ > L Ðtime,€and€decided€to€have€family€devotions,€something€he€had€not€even€thought€of€for€years.€€As€youÐ   Ðmay€surmise,€gradually€things€changed€for€the€better.€€€Ð Æ Ô  Ðà J àThere€were€some€unexpected€events,€and€a€tragic€accident,€but€the€family€began€to€drawÐ Š˜  Ðtogether,€and€God€began€to€play€an€important€role€in€their€lives.€€When,€months€later,€they€moved€backÐ N\  Ðhome,€expecting€to€return€each€summer,€the€father€and€some€of€his€friends€were€planning€to€found€aÐ   ÐChristian€school€in€their€old€neighborhood,€so€that€their€own€and€other€children€would€have€theÐ Öä Ðopportunity€for€a€Christian€education.Ð š¨ Ðà J àOh,€and€yes,€thereððs€something€else.€Once€again€Dad€was€thinking€of€purchasing€an€automobileÐ ^l Ðfor€his€oldest€daughter.€€She€had€seen€the€error€of€her€ways,€through€a€series€of€events,€and€a€long€timeÐ "0 Ðof€illness,€and€was€now€interested€in€things€eternal.€Ð æô Ðà J àLife€has€meaning,€and€it€is€imperative€that€we€seek€for€it€and€find€it.€€There€is€only€one€sureÐ ª¸ Ðsource:€€Godððs€Word,€the€Bible.€€I€pray€and€trust€that€òòyouóó€have€already€found€that€meaning,€and€that€youÐ n| Ðare€diligently€following€up€on€what€Godððs€will€is€for€you.€€Nothing€is€more€important€for€you,€and€for€usÐ 2 @  Ðall,€now€and€in€the€future.Ô#†Nê LLN¬àò#Ô