Peer Pressure

Peer pressure has always existed, but the dynamics have changed as now peers are accessible 24/7 via devices. In this week’s Brite story, the new king gives in to bad advice from his friends rather than listening to wise counsel. In your family, create a safe place for kids to talk about pressures they face. Help your kids build connections with other kids who love Jesus so that they have strong friendships who can encourage them to follow Jesus instead of the pressures of the world.

Here’s how we discussed this topic and how you can discuss it at home: 

Discuss: Have you ever felt pressure to do something that you knew wasn’t right?

Discuss: Why is it hard to do the right thing when our friends are doing something different?

Discuss: What does God have to say about that?

Say: Sometimes we feel pressure from others to do things that we know aren’t right. Sometimes we are tempted to listen to our friends even though they may not have the best ideas or advice. That is exactly what happened to Rehoboam in today’s story. It can feel really hard to deal with the pressure we feel from others because we may want to look cool or fit in. In the book of Acts, Peter felt pressure too. He said in Acts 5:29: We must obey God rather than men. The only thing in life that truly lasts is our relationship with God. Keeping focus on our relationship with God should be our top priority, even when it isn’t popular. God knows what is best for us, and living life His way is always the best choice.