YOUTHS-RESIST THE SPIRIT OF THE WORLD

Rejecting the World's Spirit

Tragically, some Christian youths have succumbed to the world's spirit.  "I displayed a fine attitude in front of my parents and fellow Christians," admits one Japanese girl.  "But I was also living another life." Says a youth from Kenya:  "For some time I lived a double life, which included parties, rock music, and having the wrong friends.  I knew this was wrong, but I  tried to ignore it, hoping that  in time it would just go away.   But it didn't.  Things just got worse."  Another youth, from Germany,  says:  "It all started with having the wrong kind of friends.  Then I took up smoking.  I wanted to hurt my parents, but I only hurt myself.

Still, it is possible to resist, yes reject, the world's spirit.  Consider the ancient example of Caleb.  When the ten cowardly spies brought back a bad report about the Promised Land, he, along with Joshua, refused to be intimated and go along with the crowd.   They courageously declared:  "The land that we passed through  to spy it out is a very, very good land.  If Jehovah has found delight in us, then he will certainly bring us into this land and give it to us, a land that is flowing with milk and honey."  (Numbers14:7, 8)  What enabled Caleb to stand up to all that pressure?  Jehovah said of Caleb:  "A different spirit had proved to be with him." -Numbers 14:24.

Next time: Showing "A Different Spirit"

Watchtower, 1999