Peer Pressure

Day two hundred thirty-four

Today my prayer is filled with the hope that I will have opportunities to learn more about my Father in Heaven and my Savior.  I hope that I will be filled with the Spirit and can make a difference in the lives of those around me.  I hope that I will leave all those I meet today in a better mood than when they came. Wow, I am pretty hopeful today!   

1 Samuel 8
This chapter starts off with some not so happy information, Samuel's sons who have been made judges over Israel are not living up to the job.  This isn't the first time that Israel has struggled with leaders that aren't righteous, remember Eli's sons in the chapters previous to this? 

There is a problem here and the Israelites are sick of it and want some change! (vv 4-5).  I don't blame the Israelites for wanting a change in the way things are done, their current system doesn't seem to be providing them with the leadership they need. But I do have a problem with their plan for change.  They come to Samuel and tell him what is going on and tell him to "make us a king to judge us like all the nations" (v 5).  Wait, they want to be like everyone else, even though the Lord has told them that the "Lord hath chosen thee to be a peculiar people unto himself" (Deut. 14:2)? The problem with their request is that in requesting a king, they are rejecting Samuel and the Lord.

Samuel being the good man he is tries to warn them about the dangers of such a system (vv 11-18), but the scriptures tell us that the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel and reiterated that they wanted a king so that they could be like all the nations (vv 19-20).

Why would they do such a thing? Two words sum it up: Peer Pressure.  This is a great chapter to see peer pressure at work from different angles; Samuel's sons, Samuel, and the Israelites.

Samuel's Sons
What would make Samuel's sons turn aside after lucre and take bribes and pervert judgment?  They have this amazing man as their father and example, what could possibly change their hearts to turn from what he has taught them?

Peer pressure is defined as "Social pressure by members of one's peer group to take a certain action, adopt certain values, or otherwise conform in order to be accepted."    Every person wants to be loved and accepted.  There is a natural desire for approval, affection and good will of our friends.  And like many things in life there are two sides to peer pressure, a good side, where one is influenced by righteousness, and a bad side, in which we let evil influence us.

The problem with the negative peer pressure is that it rarely only affects one person.  Our actions can cause trouble for others.  Samuel's sons choices made an entire people turn from God and his prophet.  It is no wonder that God has given us so many scriptures regarding peer pressure:
Exodus 23:2 - Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil ...
Proverbs 1:10-15 - My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thou not ...
Proverbs 4:14-15 - Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men.  Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away.
1 Cor 15:33-34 - Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners...
Psalms 1:1-2 - Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful...

This is just a few of the Lord's words regarding this subject.  It should say something about the dangers of peer pressure that the Lord has given this topic such attention.
  

Samuel

Whereas Samuel's sons seem to have fallen into the trap of peer pressure, Samuel stands as an example of how we should react to peer pressure.  When the elders of Israel gathered and came to Samuel with their demand for a king, the scriptures tell us that Samuel was displeased with it.  Have you ever experinced that feeling of "this is not a good thing"?  There are many times in my life where I felt that sinking feeling in my stomach and the little voice in my head has said,"This is not a good idea!  Walk away!  Run away!!"  Unfortunately, I have not always listened to that voice.

Unlike me, Samuel does recognize this feeling and he takes it to the Lord in prayer. He seeks heavenly approval rather than earthly! The Lord advises Samuel to protest solemnly.  He is to warn the people of what this decision will bring upon them, but he is to let them use their agency in making the decision. 

I cannot imagine having to stand before these people and tell them that what they want is wrong and will only lead to heartache, knowing that they really don't want to hear it.  It is hard enough to have to say it to one friend, let alone a huge group of people.  Samuel is a great example of what is meant in Joshua 24:14-15.

The Israelites

Believing in God comes with a price, we are different.  We are expected to show courage under pressure.  We are not to compromise our moral standards.  We are to love our enemies, and we are told that to be ridiculed for our beliefs should be counted as an honor. 

Every Christian will have to make a choice to be popular and accepted by men, or to be right with God. In the case of the Israelites, they are more worried about being like the other nations than they are about being right before God.  I can understand how they feel, there have been times in my life when I wanted to fit in rather than be different.  It is easy to get caught up in the group mentality.  You feel like you have support from real people, not a God that you can't see. There is a sense of belonging that comes from being involved in a group of people.  It seems so real and comforting at the time, but it really is a false sense of security.  

The Israelites had made up their minds way before they ever came to Samuel.  They were so caught up in their false sense of security that they didn't even care about the warning from Samuel.  How many of us have been in that situation?  I think every teenager has been guilty of thinking they know best and not listening to a parents warnings.  We aren't so different from the Israelites.

The Israelites are about to learn some hard lessons which result from this decision.  Like the hard lessons in my life, they will be painful, but necessary.  They have to be taught that they need to shift their desire for approval from earth to heaven.  A good lesson for all of us!