Recently in Narrative Category

Man was made for stories. We remember stories. We laugh at stories. We cry over stories. We are motivated by stories. Why? Because God made us to love stories. The legacy of a culture is told by narratives, not by encyclopedias. Even in a culture as bent on moving away from God as our current one is, there are still biblical stories etched into the minds of people in our culture. These biblical narratives transcend ideological barriers. The Prodigal Son, The Good Samaritan, the Christmas Story, and others speak of a God who may not be as easily dismissed as cultural elitists believe. While these narratives are often marred and confused in the culture, they still remain, and they still bring conviction to people. Themes of lostness, hope, and redemption resonate with the human spirit. For those who do not know Christ, these great themes may serve only to disturb rather than comfort--but still, people are drawn to stories. Examine the lists of the all-time most popular movies. The one thing these movies all have in common is that they tell memorable stories.

The narrative of King Jehoshaphat and King Ahab in 2 Chronicles 18 provides insight into the dynamics of peer pressure. When you or your children yield to peer pressure you are, in effect, dividing your loyalties between God and man. This double-mindedness simply does not work. It results in decision making that is not sound. Many sins that young people become entangled with begin when they yield to peer pressure. The story of King Jehoshaphat demonstrates that young people are not the only ones susceptible to this problem. As we noted in the last post, Jehoshaphat should have realized that forming an alliance with Ahab was extremely unwise, but in the face of the feast given to honor him, Jehoshaphat was more concerned with pleasing Ahab than pleasing God.

One of the more remarkable examples of peer pressure or fear of man found in the Bible is the story of Jehoshaphat and King Ahab in 2 Chronicles 18. The Spirit is God was gracious to provide such a clear and vivid account of the dynamics of peer pressure. There is much you can use in the chapter to teach your children about this all too common tendency of making the opinion of others more important than the opinion of God.

The world is continually attempting to deceive people by promising that what it offers is truly satisfying. Then, when the promise is believed and the offer is accepted, the hope quickly turns to bitterness and disappointment. This tactic is what I referred to in an earlier post as "hope and switch." Elimelech, Naomi's husband, fell prey to the world's offer of provision. He doubted God's covenant and struck out on his own. But the book of Ruth gives an example of one who did not fall for the world's deceptive ploy. Ruth was still a young woman when she came to Israel with her mother-in-law, yet she was devoted to Naomi and served her, in spite of Naomi's bitterness. She became known for her noble character. Boaz made this observation about her:

This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character. Ruth 3:10-11 (NIV)