"Jesse realized that he was watching the commencement speech" (S28)

Jesse realized that he was watching the commencement speech Denzel Washington gave at an HBCU several years ago. The speech is structured as ten pieces of advice, but the first is striking— “Put God first.” Denzel Washington elaborates advising to put God first in everything that you do. He begins by telling a story about his upbringing by a single working mother and how he felt many times that not just his faith had wavered, but that his actions and faithfulness to God had wavered.

It's interesting, Jesse thought, that such a famous figure is not often extremely public with his faith. More interesting still that Denzel Washington felt comfortable and deemed did appropriate to speak so candidly at an HBCU. Would this have been the case at Jesse's state school undergrad? Probably not. He had had a speech from a former football player, a man who also appeared religious but only spoke about religion in vague platitudes that sounded kind of like self-help language. There was such a clarity to what Denzel Washington had said about putting God first. Jesse was often so wrapped up in his thoughts, but maybe this was a solution… putting someone else first. If he is going to put someone else first, why not God?