th he should
walk. These are difficult times in a teen-ager's life. Influences from
within and from without will cause him to decide upon his course.
Parents see this indecision and they try to guide their teen-agers in
the right direction. The pastor, Sunday school teacher, and the young
people's leader are all interested in the teen-agers and are trying to
show them the right way. At times the teen-ager thinks his parents or
other spiritual instructors are right, but the crowd at school, and
often the teacher, use their influences to pull him the other way. Day
after day he is making decisions. The wrong influences seek to turn the
teen-ager away from morality and God's Word but they do not give
anything to take its place in his heart or erase guilty feelings.
Therefore he finds emptiness within, so is compelled to continue to
seek something else to satisfy him. Then he is led deeper into grosser
evils, trying to "handle" his inner longings.

Some might say, "But how do you know?" I know because I went through
those years and I know the influences to which I was exposed. One time I
wanted a certain thing or would want to do a certain thing but then
later I didn't like or want it. Some at school would present their ideas
and my parents and spiritual advisers presented their ideas. In my mind
I was continually weighing out what was right or what I really wanted to
do.

As we think of the young boy who died of continually taking drugs and
felt that he could "handle" his own life, we see how he chose to travel
the wrong road. Even though his buddies saw what had happened to him
they were so stuck on drugs that they, too, thought they could still
"handle" their lives. What a mistake they are making and I am sure you
are convinced of that fact. None of us are able to *handle* our own
lives. When we are born we have within our very nature a bent toward
evil. That bent toward evil has to be curbed. God gave children parents
because they needed help to face life and to curb that which was within
them that would lead them to the wrong path. Children and teen-agers
should recognize this fact and listen to them. Even if you do not want
to admit it, you can't *handle* your own life without the aid of your
parents. Furthermore you can't handle your life and walk the right path
without God's help. The devil works through the influences of others to
lead you astray. Only through the power of God can the power of the
devil be broken