Don't Be Distracted by Peer Pressure

Although the king was deeply distressed, because of his oaths and the guests he did not want to refuse her.

Mark 6:26, CSB 

I was once talking to a group of high school boys in a question/answer type setting. I asked them, “What is the hardest thing to deal with while being in high school?” Out of a group of 20, eighteen of them said peer pressure was the hardest thing to deal with. 

Peer pressure is a problem for young and old alike. We’ll allow people to talk us into actions that go against our better judgment. Although we may be coerced into trouble, we’re still ultimately responsible for our own actions. 

In Mark 6:14–25, King Herod is first tempted by his flesh and then encouraged into action by those surrounding him. Herod knew there was something different about John the Baptist. The king knew John could possibly be a man from God. However, Herod had John the Baptist murdered because it was more important for him to keep his friends and his evil wife happy than it was for him to do what was right. 

It’s amazing how often so-called “friends” will keep us from doing what is right, and ultimately, they will keep us from God. Most of the time doing the will of God means going against what the crowds want. 

PRAY: Ask God for strength today to make the choice of glorifying God even if it’s not the popular thing to do. Evangelism is seldom popular, but it is always right. 

ACT: Make a list of things that you get peer-pressured into that are not pleasing to God. Spend time reading that list. Those are things you need to stop doing because those are the things that distract you from the mission to which God has called you. Take practical steps to cut these things out of your life, so you can be a better witness to your one.