One of my summer students, a church school teacher named Mr. Shelton, shared this story with me in an assignment and gave me permission to pass it on:
Mike was in my one-teacher school from fourth to eighth grade. Many times he was subject to peer pressure, and caved in. I spoke frequently about this during his seventh and eighth grade years, and how the problem would be worse in high school, especially in public school where he was headed.
By graduation, Mike had memorized my 4-step plan for success. 1. Keep up your daily devotions. 2. Keep high scholastic standards. 3. Make friends with those of your own gender, without forming cliques. 4. Make friends of the opposite gender.
During his high school years, as I came in contact with Mike, I would tongue-in-cheek say something like, "Mike, how is the peer pressure? You on drugs yet?"
He would always give the same answer: "Mr. Shelton, I AM the peer pressure!"
Today Mike lives in Georgia, where he is a faithful churchgoer with a great family.
I loved that! "Mr. Shelton, I AM the peer pressure!"
PTL!
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