Category: Christian Living

Stand Strong At School

first day 2009 bNo…I’m not talking about getting your paper, pencils, backpack, or clothes. Are you ready for the new school year. It will be a year of great opportunities but also challenges. Whether in school or when we’re older, we are often challenged to defend who we are.

Pressure from others to conform to their accepted standards is sometimes open and forceful such as bullying or taunting. The pressure is exerted to press someone to conform to a standard or punishment for ignoring or rebelling against the standard.

Pressure may be subtle such as avoiding someone or talking about them. Ignoring sends clear signals of rejection of  the behavior and may be more painful than bullying.

What should a godly teen do?

  1. Following the principle to “esteem others better than self” (Philippians 2:1-10), godly teens should never be involved in bullying, taunting, gossiping, or ignoring others. Every soul is precious in God’s sight and we should see their value as well.
  2. Jesus was a friend to the friendless. So many people want to do great things for the world: cure diseases, save the planet, make changes in government, etc. You can do something greater in someone’s world by being a friend to them. You might be the person who helps them find the answers to the big questions in life they are looking for or to be that friend in their greatest hour of need. Very likely, they will be the friend who will stick by you when others might forsake you.
  3. Embrace your uniqueness! Do you really want to be just like everyone else? When you live as a child of God you reject the foolish and life damaging choices that so many of your “wise” friends make. They will think you are foolish for not following in the path of destruction but the wise will avoid their folly (1 Peter 4:1-5; Psalm 1)
  4. Stand proud and thank God if you are persecuted for your faith because you are in good company. The apostles, prophets, and Jesus Himself was mistreated because of their dedication to God. Pray for them that they may become wise (Matthew 5:10-16; 1 Peter 4:12-19)

“If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you… if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in that name.” (ESV)

A Seared Conscience

I hate going to the dentist.  I hate the smell of the chemicals when I walk in the door.  I hate to sit in the chair and wait for the dentist as a convict on death row would wait for an executioner.  Most of all, I hate the pain.  I really hate the pain.  The dental assistant will usually come in before the ordeal begins and give me a shot to deaden the nerves around the offending tooth.  I’ve learned that their definition of “this won’t hurt a bit” and mine are quite different.  Though I hate the shot, I could not imagine the pain of the dentist’s drill without the Novocain.

No one, except someone who is mentally unstable, enjoys pain.  We seek to avoid emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual pain if possible.  Some pain is good.  Body pains can warn us of serious internal problems that need medical attention.  A slap on a child’s bottom for almost sticking a bobby pin into an electrical outlet is preferable to the child “plugging himself in.”  (Trust me on this one~)  Spiritual conflict, or a pained conscience, can help us choose good behaviors over bad.

God gave us a conscience as a decision making aid.  When we do what is right, our conscience will approve our actions.  When we sin, our conscience is pricked, we feel uncomfortable, and, hopefully, are motivated to correct our sin.  A bothered conscience has stolen many hours of sleep.  The conscience will sometimes relentlessly torture us if we feel we have grossly violated our core beliefs.  This is good.

We should not want to have a troubled conscience; on the contrary, we ought to live so that our conscience is relatively quiet.  When we do what we know we should do, our conscience gives us no argument.  Though the conscience is very important, it cannot be (with all due respect to Jiminy Cricket) our only guide.

The conscience is good only when the Word of God has trained it.  The Bible is the standard of right and wrong.  As we study the Bible and learn its precepts, principles, and the example of Jesus, we train our conscience how to judge right and wrong correctly.  Often the conscience will call to mind specific scriptures that we have violated when we sin, or will commend us with scripture when we have done what we should.

However, the conscience does not dominate our thoughts.  We can ignore its warning rendering it ineffective.  When I lived in Florida, it was nothing to see people ignore hurricane warnings when a storm was just off the coast.  Many die in tornados and hurricanes because they do not listen to the warnings.  We can hear alarms but choose not to react.  People may, through selfish desire, ignore their conscience and continue in sin until finally the conscience is silent. 

Paul warned of these people in 1 Timothy 4:2 whose conscience had been “seared with a hot iron.” If you sear your flesh with a hot iron, the nerves in that area will die.  You can stick the skin with pins but will feel nothing.  These false teachers continue in sin until their consciences, seared by disobedience, cease to be effective. 

Others sear their conscience through ignorance.  In Ephesians 4:17-19, Paul warns that those who persist in ignorance of God’s will “lose feeling” and indulge in lewd behavior.  Neither the holiness of godly living nor the common sense of avoiding a self-destructive life motivates them.

Do Your Best and Others Will Notice

“Do you see a man skilled in his work?
He will serve before kings; he will not serve before obscure men.” Proverbs 22:29

It is important for us to take pride in the work that we do. Whether we are doing a chore around the house or our homework, we should do a job that we will be proud of. If we excel (do a really good job) in these things, when we get older we will excel in our jobs. When we do our best and give the extra time and effort to do quality work, our teachers, parents, and others will notice it.

Even if they do not notice, we should take personal pride in our fine work. If you are involved in sports, art, music, or any other activity that requires much practice, you know that when it comes time to play the game or perform for others, you will only do well if you have prepared well. We often say, “practice makes perfect.”

People who practice hard and take pride in their work may be rewarded with trophies or medals, high grades, or certificates. Even if they are not rewarded in this way, the efforts will develop good habits in their lives so that they will excel in their work and be recognized as good workers.

I remember working with many people who tried to do just enough work to keep their jobs but no more. They were not respected by their bosses or their fellow workers. Those who try their hardest are respected for their good work. Let that be said of you!

Choose Friends Carefully

“The righteous should choose his friends carefully,
For the way of the wicked leads them astray.” Proverbs 12:26

If you want to serve God, the best thing you can do is make friends of people who want to serve God. A person can learn bad language and behavior from someone who is wicked.

Your choice of friends may determine whether you obey God and go to heaven and follow the devil into hell. Friends can help us do good or persuade us to do wrong. Few decisions are as important as choosing the right friends.

When you choose friends carefully you take time to see if they will make a good friend. Someone may go to church with you or claim to love God yet use bad language and disobey God and their parents. You must see how they act and hear how they talk to make sure you choose friends that will help you grow closer to God.

Some may make friends of people who do bad things thinking that they will change them. Usually the good person learns wicked things instead of the bad person learning good.

I had a good friend who made friends with some boys who did bad things. Soon my friend was in trouble with the police because he and his “friends” broke the law.

Be careful!

You Can Tell Others About Jesus!

Even young people can tell others about Jesus. When people ask you to do or say something wrong tell them no and that Jesus has taught you how to act. Then tell them about Jesus and how He wants what is best for us and wants us to go to heaven. Some people do not have parents who take them to church or tell them about Jesus so be sure to teach them with a kind heart. Never act like you are better than them because your parents have taught you well. Be thankful for good parents.

You can be a good example to others with proper manners, kindness, and being more concerned about others than getting what you want. This is the way Jesus lived and so should we.

Another way to tell people about Jesus is to invite them to Bible classes, church services, and gospel meetings. I knew of some adults that attended because a child in their neighborhood or school invited them!