23 February | Teens
«When thou art come into the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.» Deuteronomy 18: 9
When God led His people to a new land, He warned them about the dangers of following the customs of the peoples who already lived there. These peoples had very different practices, such as fortune-telling, sorcery and other ways of seeking guidance outside of what God had established for the people of Israel. God wanted to protect His people from these influences, not because He wanted to limit their curiosity, but because He knew that these ways could lead them away from Him and the way of truth.
Imagine you have a treasure map, but instead of following the map, you decide to listen to someone who claims to know a shortcut. If this shortcut is fake, you may end up getting lost and never finding the treasure. When we follow paths that God has told us to avoid, it is as if we ignore the map and risk getting lost.
Just as the Israelites were warned not to follow pagan customs, we too should beware of influences around us that can lead us astray from God's path. This can include anything from beliefs and practices that do not honor God to the daily choices we make that may not reflect Christian values. As Christians, we are called to live in a way that shows God's love to the world, even if it means choosing not to participate in certain popular or common activities in society that displease God. Our commitment is to follow the “map” that God has given us through His Word, always seeking His way instead of the shortcuts offered by the world.
Take Action
Draw a picture of a map that leads to a treasure. Along the way, draw symbols of God's teachings, but also draw dead ends and shortcuts that represent the wrong practices that God advises us to avoid.