Dr. Paul Manuel—Scout Sabbath—2007
Because we have several additional young people here this morning, I thought it would be a good opportunity for the rest of you to impress them with your biblical knowledge, so that they could see what you have learned in your many years of study. To that end, I am going to give the adults here a brief quiz, just nine questions. You can jot the answers on the back of the sermon outline.
After God created the world, people did what most people do, and the Bible records some of what that entailed. They had jobs, got married, and raised families, but life was not always smooth.1
I. Most people are similar.
Notice how similar, as the biblical author describes them in v. 5.
The modern term for that is peer pressure, which is when "friends" try to persuade you to do something you may not want to do.4 We usually think of peer pressure as a bad thing, and often it is.
Peer pressure usually involves a snap decision. Several friends or just one will suggest doing something you would not normally do, and suddenly you have a choice to make. When that kind of situation arises, and it will, probably several times, you will do a better job handling it if you set your boundaries beforehand. Here are three things to consider:
Anyone, no matter how old, can feel pressure from peers. Many adults think they have to reach a certain financial status to be like others in their neighborhood or at their job. You have probably seen the commercial for Lending Tree, a financial service, where a man catalogs his acquisitions.
Whether it is an expensive home or designer clothes or the latest tech gadget, when we see others who have it, we may want it, too. At that point, the pressure is often more imaginary than real, but it still takes us away from what is most important, which is to be content with what we have and intent on pursuing what God wants us to have.5
One reason the people in Noah's day are so wicked may be peer pressure, because some push their friends to do bad things, while others let themselves be pushed to do bad things. The story goes on, though, to introduce the main character, who is not at all like other people because...
II. Noah is different.
Notice how different, as the biblical author describes him in...
Peer pressure often gives the impression that everyone else is doing it, whatever 'it' is, and that you certainly do not want to be left out. That impression may be false, though. If someone makes a suggestion, the person most-easily influenced will follow, perhaps because he is unsure of himself or new to the group. Others may then go along, and it can be easy to think: "This must be okay. Everyone else is involved. They must know what they're doing." Then someone says to you, "Come on; you don't want to be left out." Before you realize, many people are going along with the crowd doing something they might not do otherwise (Lyness 2006). Whatever it is and however it comes, when people, especially your friends, try to convince you to do something, it is hard to resist, because negative peer pressure tries to make you feel alone doing the right things. Still, standing alone is not bad if what you are standing for is good.
Noah probably experienced a lot of negative peer pressure, but he did not budge, because he knew that what he was standing for was right. He was also not quiet about it. The apostle Peter says that Noah was "a preacher of righteousness" (2 Pet 2:5), who tried to counter the negative peer pressure he and others felt with positive peer influence.7 You can do the same. You can have a positive influence on your peers.
Answering negative peer pressure with positive peer influence requires character and confidence, the kind of character that knows the difference between right and wrong, and the kind of confidence that insists on what is right even when no one else will.
Often the challenge is in knowing what to accept and what to avoid. Some things the crowd does are not important issues. You can often tell the difference by considering the result. If the outcome might be dangerous or harmful to someone, that is a good reason not to do it. If you are uncertain, then put off doing it until you can talk to your parents or to an adult whose opinion you respect and trust. There are few activities so urgent that they cannot wait for careful consideration.
Noah's experience illustrates The Problems and Prospects of Peer Pressure. What he encountered was negative, as those around him probably tried to convince him to join in their sinful activity. Noah was the only one in his generation loyal to God and, despite their efforts, he would not budge. In fact, his response was positive, because he tried to convince others that they should behave differently. You can do the same. Whenever you encounter negative peer pressure to do something you know is wrong, stand firm, and respond with some positive peer influence. Be like Noah in your generation.
Q: What was Noah's occupation? ...Was he a farmer, a bricklayer, or something else?However difficult you may have found the questions of that quiz, it was nothing to what Noah faced, even before the flood, as he encountered the Problems and Prospects of Peer Pressure.
A: He was an arkitecht.
Q. Why was Noah the greatest financier in the Bible?
A. He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.
Q: What was the name of Noah's wife? (This is really trivia.)
A: Joan of Ark
Q: While Noah was on the ark, why did he not spend time fishing?
A: He only had two worms.
Q: Why did those two worms not get on the ark in an apple?
A: Because everyone had to go on in pairs (pears)
Q: Where did Noah keep the bees?
A: In an ark-hive
Q: How did Noah keep track of the animals at night?
A: He used floodlights.
Q: What is the one tool Noah wished he had during the construction?
A: An ark-welder.
Q: What was Noah's theme song?
A: "Raindrops Keep Falling On My Head"
After God created the world, people did what most people do, and the Bible records some of what that entailed. They had jobs, got married, and raised families, but life was not always smooth.1
- Adam and Eve were expelled from the Garden of Eden for their disobedience.
- Cain, angry that God rejected his offering but accepted his brother's offering, murdered his brother Abel.
- Lamach, one of Cain's descendants, was an even more violent man and boasted about having killed many people.
- Seth and his son Enosh seem to have started a trend as "men began to call on the name of the LORD" (Gen 4:26b).
- Their descendant Enoch is recorded to have had an especially close relationship to God for "300 years" (Gen 5:22a).
I. Most people are similar.
Notice how similar, as the biblical author describes them in v. 5.
Gen 6:5 The LORD saw how great man's wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. 6a The LORD [regretted] that he had made man on the earth....God's evaluation here is very thorough and not at all encouraging: "...great...wickedness...every inclination...only evil all the time." At this period in history, people care about no one but themselves, and in whatever they do...
A. They behave to please themselves (v. 5).We may think that because God is in heaven, He is not aware of or does not care about what happens on earth. David writes in...3
Ps 14:2 [= 53:2] The LORD looks down from heaven on the sons of men to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.Apparently, He does not see much that is encouraging in this chapter of Genesis. Most people are not seeking to please God; they are only seeking to please themselves, and...
B. God is unhappy with them (v. 6).What makes so many people do the wrong things? While it is possible that each one makes the decision for himself, it is also possible that some people's bad behavior influences other people's bad behavior.
The modern term for that is peer pressure, which is when "friends" try to persuade you to do something you may not want to do.4 We usually think of peer pressure as a bad thing, and often it is.
- It may be when someone pushes you to try tobacco, alcohol, or drugs.
- It may be when someone dares you to steal something, wants you to cheat on a test or cut class, challenges you to drive dangerously, or pushes you into a physical relationship.
- It may be direct: "Come on. It's just a beer. Everyone else is having one."
- It may be indirect, by simply making alcohol available at a party.
Peer pressure usually involves a snap decision. Several friends or just one will suggest doing something you would not normally do, and suddenly you have a choice to make. When that kind of situation arises, and it will, probably several times, you will do a better job handling it if you set your boundaries beforehand. Here are three things to consider:
- First, decide what kind of person you want to be. Even if you are more of a follower than a leader, you can still choose to follow the right path, the one you can be proud of later. No matter what other people may think about you, it only really matters what God thinks about you and then what you think about yourself. If you change your behavior just to fit in with a particular group, you are not being true to yourself., to the person you want to be, and you are not being true to the person God wants you to be. Decide what kind of person you want to be.
- Second, decide what kind of friends you want to have. Pick friends who will support you in the right things not push you into the wrong things. Friends who pressure you are not really your friends. If you hang around people who share your values, you will probably not be asked to do something you do not want to do. Decide what kind of friends you want to have.
- Third, decide what kind of activities you want to do...or definitely do not want to do. You will not be able to anticipate everything, but prepare for what you can, the things you know others around you are facing. Think about the consequences; ask: "Could this get me in trouble or be harmful to my health? Avoid the people and places associated with activities you want to avoid (e.g., areas where kids go to smoke, parties where kids drink). Learn to say no, and learn to walk away. Decide what kind of activities you want to do
Anyone, no matter how old, can feel pressure from peers. Many adults think they have to reach a certain financial status to be like others in their neighborhood or at their job. You have probably seen the commercial for Lending Tree, a financial service, where a man catalogs his acquisitions.
"I'm Stanley Johnson. I've got a great family." There is a picture of his wife and three kids. "I've got a four-bedroom house in a great community.... Like my car? It's new. I even belong to the local golf club." Frolicking with his Golden Retriever in the backyard, he asks, "How do I do it?" The scene shift to his built-in pool, the waterline providing an appropriate backdrop for his explanation: "I'm in debt up to my eyeballs." The scene shifts again to a backyard barbeque with his happy family, and his admission, "I can barely pay my finance charges." We see him next riding his mower over a spacious and immaculate lawn, musing, "Somebody help me."Mr. Johnson's motivation is obvious. He wants to appear more prosperous than he actually is, certainly more than he can afford. The name for this syndrome is "keeping up with the Jones's." which is an attempt to match the lifestyle of anyone you think is higher on the social ladder than you are, someone you would like to view as your peer or whom you would like others to view as your peer. What Lending Tree offers is a second mortgage on Mr. Johnson's house, which may reduce his monthly bills but will not get him out of debt. For that, he will need to give up his ambition to be like others whose lifestyle he admires and be content to live within his more modest means.
Whether it is an expensive home or designer clothes or the latest tech gadget, when we see others who have it, we may want it, too. At that point, the pressure is often more imaginary than real, but it still takes us away from what is most important, which is to be content with what we have and intent on pursuing what God wants us to have.5
One reason the people in Noah's day are so wicked may be peer pressure, because some push their friends to do bad things, while others let themselves be pushed to do bad things. The story goes on, though, to introduce the main character, who is not at all like other people because...
II. Noah is different.
Notice how different, as the biblical author describes him in...
Gen 6:8 But Noah found favor in the eyes of the LORD. 9 This is the account of Noah. Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God.God's evaluation in v. 9 is again very thorough and is quite encouraging: "righteous... blameless... walked with God." At this time in history, one person stands out, and...
A. God is happy with him (v. 8).Unlike everyone else, Noah is not living just to satisfy himself, as if he is the only person that matters. Noah walks with God, which means that...
B. He behaves to please the Lord (v. 9).The author of Genesis describes only one other person this way, in...6
Gen 5:22b Enoch walked with God 300 years....That is a long time to be good, but Noah beat Enoch's record, because he is already over "five hundred years old" (5:32), and he will be "six hundred years old" (7:6) when the ark God tells him to build is finished. That is a long time to be good, especially when everyone else is being bad.
Peer pressure often gives the impression that everyone else is doing it, whatever 'it' is, and that you certainly do not want to be left out. That impression may be false, though. If someone makes a suggestion, the person most-easily influenced will follow, perhaps because he is unsure of himself or new to the group. Others may then go along, and it can be easy to think: "This must be okay. Everyone else is involved. They must know what they're doing." Then someone says to you, "Come on; you don't want to be left out." Before you realize, many people are going along with the crowd doing something they might not do otherwise (Lyness 2006). Whatever it is and however it comes, when people, especially your friends, try to convince you to do something, it is hard to resist, because negative peer pressure tries to make you feel alone doing the right things. Still, standing alone is not bad if what you are standing for is good.
Noah probably experienced a lot of negative peer pressure, but he did not budge, because he knew that what he was standing for was right. He was also not quiet about it. The apostle Peter says that Noah was "a preacher of righteousness" (2 Pet 2:5), who tried to counter the negative peer pressure he and others felt with positive peer influence.7 You can do the same. You can have a positive influence on your peers.
[O]ften it just takes one person to speak out or...to change a situation. Your friends may follow if you have the courage to do something [else] or refuse to go along with the group. Consider yourself a leader, and know that you have the potential to make a difference. (Ibid.)Sometimes all it takes for others to do what is right is for them to see one person be firm.
Answering negative peer pressure with positive peer influence requires character and confidence, the kind of character that knows the difference between right and wrong, and the kind of confidence that insists on what is right even when no one else will.
Often the challenge is in knowing what to accept and what to avoid. Some things the crowd does are not important issues. You can often tell the difference by considering the result. If the outcome might be dangerous or harmful to someone, that is a good reason not to do it. If you are uncertain, then put off doing it until you can talk to your parents or to an adult whose opinion you respect and trust. There are few activities so urgent that they cannot wait for careful consideration.
Never let "following the crowd" take precedence over "following your conscience" (Hardcastle 2007).When others see that you stand for what is right, they may not agree with you, but they will often respect you for it.
Noah's experience illustrates The Problems and Prospects of Peer Pressure. What he encountered was negative, as those around him probably tried to convince him to join in their sinful activity. Noah was the only one in his generation loyal to God and, despite their efforts, he would not budge. In fact, his response was positive, because he tried to convince others that they should behave differently. You can do the same. Whenever you encounter negative peer pressure to do something you know is wrong, stand firm, and respond with some positive peer influence. Be like Noah in your generation.
For the Bibliography and Endnotes, see the pdf here.
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Jim Skaggs