Peer Pressure article

7/28/2019 Peer Pressure article

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Peer Pressure

This morning during my time of devotion, I perused a devotional from

OUR DAILY BREAD about JESUS calling each and every person of all age

through the gospel of Matthew 11:28 which declares ‘Come to Me, a

you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest’. Allo

me to read the words of Jesus again which is found in the gospel o

Matthew chapter 11 verse 28 ‘Come to Me, all you who labor and ar

heavy laden, and I will give you rest’.

Jesus knows the end from the beginning regarding our lives. When H

uttered these very words, He knew each and every person’s life eve

before we were born. He saw that each would have burdens in life; H

knew that everyone would have burdens weighing them down; each on

would have pressures in life. You may be in the throes of youth or one o

the better side of fifty, no matter which stage of life we are in, we ca

never escape from being under pressure. All of us face pressure i

different areas of life and the pressure we experience in our daily livenot only comes from within but also originates from outside.

Regarding external pressure, I would like to state that we only strengthe

it, if we do not have a mind of our own or a spine to stand our ow

ground. This outside force may come in the form of our family, ou

friends, our co-workers, our acquaintances, our superiors i.e

uncompassionate bosses, our clients, our peers, our community an

culture, our society, and so on. Out of these groups, the pressure that ou

peers lay on us is the heaviest and the most forceful because it has on

goal i.e. to conform us to their way of thinking or doing things. Everyon

who has experienced life with other people has experienced pee

pressure. When a friend or a group of buddies pressure us to d



something or believe something they hold on to, the feeling of wanting t

please them to the extent that we give in to that pressure, brushing asid

our own choices, opinions, will, beliefs and principles to please them, s

as to be identified & accepted by them keeping our popularity intact. W

take it further by conforming ourselves to their accepted lifestyle an

thought process at

the cost of our own God given identity and uniqueness.

For the younger generation the pressure intensifies to embracing th

partying lifestyle, enjoying life to the fullest with girlfriends or boyfriend

degrading the value of sex and changing bed partners at the drop of

hat. We do not seem to comprehend the value of a single life where afte

using a person, we tire of that person easily and discard him / her i

search of fresher meat. We think nothing of indulging in one night stand

because of the deception that it is the cool thing to do. Boozing and dru

use along with doping and sniffing heroin is an experience to short term

serenity. Dangerous, illegal bike & car races are carried out reinforcin

one’s pride and toughness. We display our machismo in fights and due

that have no real causes. Provocative and revealing clothing actuall

reveals the wearer’s lack of personal dignity and honor. Sexy dressin

takes away the wearer’s glory and one is usually not taken seriously bu

is regarded as being frivolous. Flaunting the latest hi-tech gadgets for th

sole purpose of stoking one’s ego and behaving condescendingly toward

those who cannot afford such contraptions. Sexuality has degenerated t

such an extent that anything goes without any thought to repercussion

and the boundaries have been pulled apart to mean absolute freedom n

matter who gets hurt.



Unfortunately, older generations are diseased with pride and sel

importance where hunger for status and power drives them, overtakin

their outlook, where possessing an expensive house or the newest ca

model fuels their ego. A bigger house, more jewellery, more degrees an

higher status serves to display the desire that they are somebody i

society. Sending one’s kids to expensive educational institutions – th

further from home, the better, adds to the conceit. We push our childre

to do something or be someone that our friends’ kids are doing. We giv

our kids whatever they want without giving them the much neede

guidance and discipline. Coveting big, important posts not to serve fo

the betterment of the country and its people but for the sake of nam

and fame alone. Our hands are tainted with bribery and we misuse ou

authority to acquire power and illegal wealth. We treat people who w

deem as inferior to us with utter contempt as though they have no worth

Is it right to donate finances to religious & charitable organizations fo

self promotion and hidden agendas? Grown married people who shoul

know better, commit extra-marital affairs feeding their lusts without an

regard for commitment and trust.

Jesus knew we would sink to an all time low, that’s why He boldl

declared “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden.”

He knew that you and I will be burdened with all sorts of pressure in life

He knew that you and I will succumb to the pressure of our peers and thi

world. That’s why He offers help, that’s why He calls us to come to Him

and unburden all our pressures, worries and cares on His shoulders. A

we cast our pressures and cares on Him, He will give us rest. Jesus state

before He ascended into Heaven, that we will not be left alone to fend fo

ourselves. He has kept His promise by sending the Holy Spirit t

empower us to live like He did – victorious over all pressure. It is ou



choice whether we give in and identify with the norms and ways of th

current culture around us or submit to the power of the Holy Spirit an

stand against the storm.

Therefore my dear friends let us neither give in nor succumb to th

demands of our peers or of this world but let us commit and cast oucares and fears to Jesus who knows and who cares for you and me. Le

me close my reading to you Romans chapter 12 verses 1 and 2.

Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, t

offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this i

your spiritual act of worship. 2Do not conform any longer to the patter

of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then yo

will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing an

perfect will.

http://bible.cc/romans/12-2.htm

http://bible.cc/romans/12-2.htm

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Peer Pressure article