Showing posts with label peer pressure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label peer pressure. Show all posts

Friday, September 3, 2021

To Follow or Not to Follow the Crowd

Hey, Awesome Teen!

 Have you ever heard of the expression "the blind leading the blind"? Do you know exactly what it means?

 It describes a situation in which the person leading the way knows as much as or even less than the one he is leading.  In other words, the leader won't be able to take the follower any farther than the follower already can get by himself.

 Obviously, this doesn't make for a good situation, does it? If we want to get somewhere but don't know how to get there, we need to follow someone who does know how to get there.

So, what does all of this have to do with crowds?

 Well, a lot!

 People like to follow crowds, especially at school. There's something about following a crowd that makes us feel secure and special. 

 But what if we are following the wrong crowd? 

 You see, crowds are usually going in the wrong direction. If everybody is doing something, then very likely what the crowd is doing is wrong. 

 For example, today we see crowds of teens rebelling against one's parents or having sex or cheating on tests. All of these things are wrong, but the crowd will try to tell us these things are not wrong.

 Years ago, I heard a quote that said this: "Observe the masses and do the opposite." In other words, watch what everyone else is doing and do the opposite. This is a wise formula for success.

 It is also a wise formula for living as Jesus wants you to live.

 Remember: the people you choose to imitate today will determine what kind of person you will be tomorrow. 

 Do you want to be like the people you are imitating today? If not, do the opposite.

Now, it's your turn: Do you struggle with following the crowd? Do you need to belong in order to feel special and important?

Please share your comments in the box below. The words "No Comments" simply mean that no one has yet posted a comment. So, be the first one! :)

TWEETABLE: Are You Afraid of the Future? by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio (CLICK TO TWEET)
 ______________________________________________________

Copyright 2017-2021 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

Please send in any questions you'd like to see discussed on this blog. Please email your question to me at drmaryann@maryanndiorio.com.  Thanks! 
____________________________________________________
You can find me on the following Social Media Venues:

 Disclaimer: This site uses cookies. Your continued use of this site constitutes your consent to our use of cookies.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , , , ,

Friday, July 2, 2021

Why NOT to Follow the Crowd

Hey, Awesome Teen!

 Are you a crowd-follower? A people-pleaser? In short, an approval-seeker?

 If so, this post is for you!

 Why do so many teens follow the crowd? One reason is their need to belong. All of us have a need to belong. God made us this way because He wants us to belong to His family.

 So, wanting to belong is not a bad thing. But the important question to ask ourselves is "To what do I want to belong?"

 So many teens don't ask this question, yet answering it will make the difference between a good life and a horrible one.

 As with other things in life, there is a right way to belong and a wrong way to belong. There is a right place to belong and a wrong place to belong. So, how can you know the difference?


Here are some questions to ask yourself when choosing where to belong:

 1--Is this group of people a group that follows Jesus Christ and His ways?

 2--Are the people in this group the kind of people I want to be like?

 3--Do the people in this group live out the values that I consider most important in life?

 4--Will hanging around these people make me a better person or not?

 5--Do I want to be around these people because I think they will make me look good or make me more popular? Or do I want to be around them because they live according to God's Word? 

 The Bible tells us that we will become like the people we hang around. Look at this verse in 1 Corinthians 15: 33: "Do not be deceived: Bad company corrupts good character."

 Isn't it interesting that when you put one bad apple in a barrel of good apples  the good apples will eventually turn bad? But when you put one good apple in a barrel of bad apples, the bad apples will never turn good?

 That's the way it is with us. If we hang around bad people all the time, we will eventually become like them. But if we hang around good people all the time, we will eventually become like them.

 So, be careful whom you choose to be your friends. Choose those who love Jesus and follow Him. Choose those who are not afraid to stand up for what is right, no matter what the cost. 

 Don't be a crowd-follower. Let the crowd follow you!
____________________________________________
Copyright 2017-2021 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

 If you enjoyed this blog, please forward it to your family and friends. Spread the Word of God and be a blessing to others! Thanks! 
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Friday, June 18, 2021

How to Say NO to Peer Pressure

Hey,  Awesome Teens!

 Are you struggling with peer pressure?  With friends who are trying to get you to do wrong?
With classmates who are trying to convince you that what you believe about Jesus is out-dated?

 If so, listen up. You are not alone!




























Peer pressure is one of the chief reasons teens fall into sin. Sadly, even Christian teens.

 Before we look at how to resist peer pressure, let’s look at why teens--teen girls, especially-- are susceptible to it.

 1- We all want to be liked and accepted. This is a need God built into us when He created us. But He expects that we will go to Him, not to our peers, to get that need satisfied.

 2 - We all want to feel important. Why? Because we want our lives to have meaning. Wanting our lives to have meaning is a good thing. The problem arises, however, when we use the wrong method to give our lives meaning.

 3 - We all want to do something great with our lives. We mistakenly think that the crowd is doing something great, so we follow the crowd.

While the above desires are inherently good, when we try to achieve them in the wrong way, we get ourselves into trouble. Why? Because the crowd will never lead you to where God wants to take you. It will always lead you in the opposite direction.
Jesus said this: "But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it” (Matthew 7: 14). 

You see, peer pressure to do wrong is Satan’s attempt to take you on the path that is wide. That path always leads to destruction. 

God’s way, on the other hand, is to take you on the path that is narrow. That path leads to life, but only a few people choose to take that path.

So, how can you say NO to peer pressure?  Here are a few tips:

1. Remember who you are! You are a daughter of God your Father, set apart for Him. 

2. You are the Bride of Jesus. He wants you to remain pure and holy for Him. Do not allow yourself to be sullied by the world.

3. You are a Jewel in the Savior’s Crown. He gave His very life to save you. Show Him your gratitude by remaining true to Him.

_______________________________________________
Copyright 2016-2021 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

You can find me on the following Social Media Venues:

Website: www.maryanndiorio.com
Blog (Winning with the Word): maryanndiorio.com/blog
BookBub.com: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/maryann-diorio 
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/DrMaryAnnDiorio
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=45380421


Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

Are You Following Jesus or Are You Following the Crowd?

Hey, Gabriel Girls,

All over the world, Christian teenage girls struggle with many of the same things. Today we're going to talk about one of the biggies: Following the crowd.

Why do teenage girls--even Christian teens--follow the crowd? The main reason is that they want to fit in. We all want to be accepted by our peers, but, unfortunately, most of the time peer acceptance demands personal compromise of one's values.

Satan uses our need to fit in to lead us down the wrong path. When the need to fit in becomes greater than the need to honor God, we are in big trouble.



So, what does the need to fit in look like in practical terms?  Here are some clues:

1--Do you need to be "in the know" regarding the latest movies, songs, recording artists, movie stars?

2--Do you need to keep up with the latest fads, like clothing styles, hairstyles, and fitness rages?

3--Do you need to have a boyfriend just because all of your girlfriends do?

Temptations to fit in are all around us. They bombard us on magazine racks at the checkout counter, in television commercials, on billboards. Everywhere we look, there is a temptation ready to draw us away from the only One we need to follow: Jesus Christ.

If you are struggling with following the crowd, what can you do to turn around and go the other way?  Here are a few tips:

1--Decide to make your relationship with Jesus your top priority. Don't let anything interfere with this relationship. If your relationship with Jesus is deep and strong, you will desire Him more than you desire the world.

2--Pray every day and throughout the day. Prayer is part of developing your relationship with Jesus. When you pray, listen more than you speak. Jesus always has something important to say to us about how to live our lives. We just have to listen. :)

3--Choose your friends wisely. Hang out with friends who follow Jesus. You may have to separate yourself from friends who tempt you to follow the crowd.

Finally, remember these words in 1 John 2: 15-17 : "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.”

A true Christ-Follower will live her life in such a way that she will not follow the crowd but she will inspire the crowd to follow her. Be that kind of Christ-Follower!


NOW IT'S YOUR TURN: How do you fight the temptation to follow the crowd? Please share your thoughts with our fellow Gabriel Girls in the comment box below. Thanks!  
TWEETABLE: "Are You Following Jesus or Are You Following the Crowd?" by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio (CLICK TO TWEET)

 ______________________________________________________

Copyright 2016 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

To Become a Gabriel Girl, you need to qualify as follows:
  • You need to be born again. This means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and the Lord of your life.If you don't know how to do this, click here.
  • You need to have a desire to tell others about Jesus wherever you go and whenever you can.
  • You need to commit to following Jesus by reading the Bible and praying every day and by obeying Jesus' command to love Him and to love your neighbor.
    ____________________________________________________
You can find me on the following Social Media Venues:


Disclaimer: This site uses cookies. Your continued use of this site constitutes your consent to our use of cookies.
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , ,

Friday, September 25, 2015

Are You Allowing Yourself to Be Pressured by Your Peers?

Peer pressure. It’s everywhere.  And it’s contagious.

What about you? Have you caught the peer pressure bug? Are you allowing yourself to be pressured by your peers?

 If so, read on.

 Peer pressure is a disease common to man--and to teen girls. :) In the Bible, it’s called the fear of man. Here is what God says about peer pressure, or the fear of man:

 “Fearing people is a dangerous trap, but trusting the LORD means safety” (Proverbs 29:25 NLT).  

 Why is peer pressure so dangerous? Here are a few reasons:

 1--Peer pressure will cause you to act in a way that is contrary to the way God wants you to act. 

 2--Peer pressure will cause you to stray from God’s purpose for your life. You could miss your destiny because of giving in to peer pressure.

 3--Peer pressure makes you a slave of the peer or peers to whom you give in.

 So, what is the antidote to the fear of man? Simple. The fear of God.

 Look at the second part of Proverbs 29:25: “...trusting the LORD means safety.”  Do you want to be safe in your decisions? Do you want to walk a path that will bring you joy and peace? Do you want to fulfill God’s plan for your life and not someone else’s plan for your life?

 Then don’t allow yourself to be pressured by your peers.
___________________________________________

If you enjoyed this post, please tell your teenage girlfriends about the Gabriel Girls. Thanks!
_______________________________________________
Copyright 2015 by Dr. MaryAnn Diorio. All Rights Reserved.

To Become a Gabriel Girl, you need to qualify as follows:
  • You need to be born again. This means that you have accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior and the Lord of your life.If you don't know how to do this, click here.
  • You need to have a desire to tell others about Jesus wherever you go and whenever you can.
  • You need to commit to following Jesus by reading the Bible and praying every day and by obeying Jesus' command to love Him and to love your neighbor.
    ____________________________________________________
You can find me on the following Social Media Venues:
Amazon Author Central: www.amazon.com/author/maryanndiorio
Posted by at No comments:
Labels: , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)