September 19 | Week 3: Character and Growth
Overcoming Peer Pressure Takes Resolve
Daniel 1:8-16
8 But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way. 9 Now God had caused the official to show favor and compassion to Daniel, 10 but the official told Daniel, “I am afraid of my lord the king, who has assigned your food and drink. Why should he see you looking worse than the other young men your age? The king would then have my head because of you.”
11 Daniel then said to the guard whom the chief official had appointed over Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, 12 “Please test your servants for ten days: Give us nothing but vegetables to eat and water to drink. 13 Then compare our appearance with that of the young men who eat the royal food, and treat your servants in accordance with what you see.” 14 So he agreed to this and tested them for ten days.
15 At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. 16 So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.
Respectfully Disagree And Stay Resolved
1. What did Daniel decide ahead of time, before the pressure ever came (v. 8)?
Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine. Additionally, Daniel made this decision because he cared deeply about his relationship with God.
2. How did he stand firm without being rude or arrogant about it? Daniel asked for permissionn not to defile himself and thus was direct about his motives. God also moved on Daniel’s behalf, moving the official to “show favor and compassion to Daniel”. Interestingly, he was also willing to show that his request could be wrong and asked the official to “compare our appearance” to the other young men and act accordingly. Daniel had suggested this because the official rightly feared the king and the consequences if they looked unhealthier. Lastly, Daniel was not critical, he was pragmatic.
Preparing For Peer Pressure: Decide Right Now
3. What happened as a result? Firstly, the official allowed Daniel and his friends to eat only vegetables and water so they were not defiled by the royal food.
4. What things do you need to decide now, before you are in the pressure situation? I need to decide what I want in terms of my health/fitness and overall discipline. Additionally, I also have to think carefully about both my focus in terms of internet ministry, local ministry, and time management.
Peers: Surprised & Heaping Abuse
1 Peter 4:1-4
1 Therefore, since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude, because whoever suffers in the body is done with sin. 2 As a result, they do not live the rest of their earthly lives for evil human desires, but rather for the will of God. 3 For you have spent enough time in the past doing what pagans choose to do–living in debauchery, lust, drunkenness, orgies, carousing and detestable idolatry. 4 They are surprised that you do not join them in their reckless, wild living, and they heap abuse on you.
Some Peers Apply Pressure, Others Show Respect
1. How do old friends react when you stop joining them in the things you used to do (v. 4)? I invited all of my college and high-school friends out to church. Sadly, most of these friends are the same people I’d go to adult (XXX) bars with, get drunk/high with, and also be impure or immoral with. Granted, that was not the whole of our relationships, but these kinds of things are what we did together to “make memories” and have “fun.” Unfortunately, all of my friends in this era were either uninterested in the God of the Bible or outright hostile towards it. A few of my friends respected my changes but we still went our “seperate ways.”
Pleasing Peers Or God?
2. Have you felt that? How have you been handling it? I try to stay faithful when it is family. I struggle the most when it is family at this point.
Galatians 1:10
10 Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.
1. Who are you ultimately trying to please? I believe this is a really good “gut check” question. Honestly, there is a balance of relating to someone to win them versus compromising my own “purity!”
2. Can you please everyone and still serve Christ? Why not? No, I cannot please everyone and Jesus at the same time. Even still, the scriptures command that I make every effort to be at peace with all man. “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone”.(Romans 12:18) Therefore, there is an obligation to be at peace and yet the inevitibility of persecution, hatred, and abuse. (2 Timothy 3:12, Luke 21:17, 1 Peter 4:4)
Getting In Touch With Peer Pressure
APPLICATION: Peer pressure only wins when you have not decided in advance. Name one area where you cave to what people think. Decide right now, like Daniel, where your line is, and
tell someone who will hold you to it.
I have to really think about this and pray about it, as of right now, I can’t think of an area where I cave to what people think. However, I am certain it is not above me, and so I want to pray and make sure I’m in touch. Additionally, I’ll ask my wife where I may be caving – she knows me and could help me get in touch.
