How Can I Resist Peer Pressure?

Be strong enough to know who you are and say "No thanks" and walk away it takes practice.

ANTICIPATE

The Bible says: “The shrewd one sees the danger and conceals himself, but the inexperienced keep right on going and suffer the consequences.”—Proverbs 22:3.

Often, you can see trouble in advance. For example, suppose you see a group of your schoolmates up ahead, and they’re smoking. By anticipating a problem, you’ll be ready to deal with it.

2 THINK

The Bible says: “Maintain a good conscience.”—1 Peter 3:16.

Ask yourself, ‘How will I feel in the long run if I go along with the crowd?’ True, you might temporarily avoid the disapproval of your peers. But how will you feel later? Are you willing to sacrifice your identity just to please your classmates?—Exodus 23:2.

3 DECIDE

The Bible says: “The wise one is cautious.”—Proverbs 14:16.

Sooner or later, we have to make a choice and live with the consequences. The Bible tells of men like Joseph, Job, and Jesus, who all made the right choice. It also tells of Cain, Esau, and Judas, who made bad choices. What will you do?

The Bible says: “Act with faithfulness.” (Psalm 37:3) If you’ve already thought about the consequences and made up your mind, stating your position can be surprisingly easy—and rewarding.

Don’t worry—you don’t have to give your peers a lecture. A simple but firm NO may suffice. Or to make your nonnegotiable stand clear, you could say:

“Count me out!”