Howard Hendricks (answering the question, “Do you have any words of wisdom for our graduates?”):
Don’t believe your press reports. It bothers me that many students go out and are successful, which is the beginning of their failure. They believe that it’s them, when it’s not. This is why I would say to someone, ‘Use all the resources God has given you, just don’t trust in them.’ John 15;5 says, ‘Without me, you can do nothing.’ He’ll use your education, your giftedness, He’ll use your experience, your training…but in the final analysis, He’s the one who’s going to do it.
If I had to boil it down, I’d say, ‘Lie low and exalt grace.’ Because you can’t promote yourself and Him at the same time. You are going to have to decide who is the center of attraction to you and your ministry.
Words of Grace 