Teenagers, especially young teens, will go to great lengths to be liked. Popularity is a must. It is important to be noticed and thought well of in whatever group teens move in. Adults carry some of this same need for approval with them, too. For instance, a neighbor some years ago knew that I wanted her to go to church with me. But she wouldn’t go because her buddies in team penning would look down on her for it. It is sad. She knows I care about her and that I want her to be in eternity. I have even told her that whoever gets to heaven first should be standing at the Eastern Gate waiting for the other one.
If praying for someone can get them to heaven, she’ll be there. God knows what it will take to move her, I don’t. There’s a sadness that comes over us when we think of the people we love and where their choices are taking them. In some small way, this is what John must have seen in Jesus’ eyes in John 12:35 when he was speaking for one of the last times to the crowds.
It says in John 12:43 “For they love the praise of men more than the praise of God.” What a shame. Knowing that there are people in this world who want to believe but the stumbling block of being liked stands in the way. It seems like such a small thing to overcome but it must not be. There are just too many souls trading today’s satisfactions for tomorrow’s eternity.
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