INTEGRITY WEAKENED OR STRENGTHENED?

6. What attitude of worldly youths has rubbed off on some young Christians? Cite an example.

⁶ It is sad to say, but there are examples of individuals who have followed a Christian course up to a point but who weaken their integrity by giving in to the ways of Satan’s system. Rebellious youths are found throughout the world, even in countries where juvenile delinquency was practically unheard of in times past. And this rebellious attitude of schoolmates rubs off on youngsters who may know the Bible truth but who associate with such individuals. Running away from home is viewed by many of the young worldlings as a way to solve problems. But is it wise for a Christian youth to follow such a course? Is it showing appreciation for Jehovah’s arrangement for parental care to run away from home? (Eph. 6:1-3) Is it showing a desire to maintain integrity? There was the case of a young girl, just entering her teens, who ran away from home because her parents had discovered she was skipping classes in school. She was afraid to talk to them about problems she was having in school and so left home and was later found after dark in a bad neighborhood some distance from home. Fortunately it was a respectable individual who found her and got her to talk, and no harm came to her. But she could have been accosted by someone immoral. Would she have had any excuse before Jehovah if harm had come to her? Was she acting in harmony with the words of the model prayer Jesus taught, “Do not bring us into temptation”?​—Matt. 6:13.

7. (a) What wrong course did a boy follow, and to what did it lead? (b) What Scriptural principle did he fail to keep in mind?

⁷ Or what about the boy who was invited to take an afternoon off from school to go to a party in a classmate’s home because the classmate’s parents were away? At first he was against the idea, but instead of definitely refusing the invitation and sticking to his integrity, he asked questions about what was going to happen. He weakened and decided to go to the party. What happened to this young man can serve as a warning to others. While the party was going on, the police arrived and found marijuana hidden in the house. All the youngsters there were picked up, and the young person’s name is now registered with the police. It may be true, he probably did not even know the marijuana was there, but he neglected to follow the wise counsel of Proverbs 13:20, where it says, “He that is walking with wise persons will become wise, but he that is having dealings with the stupid ones will fare badly.” Now, with his bad record, he has a harder fight than ever to maintain integrity. Everytime something goes wrong in his neighborhood he is subject to questioning by the police.

8. What can result from failing to heed counsel against “dating” at an early age?

⁸ Then there are the young teen-agers who think they must “date” and “go steady,” as many children of today do. Contrary to the advice of the organization of Jehovah’s witnesses, the appointed servants in the Christian congregation and even their parents, some youngsters will at an early age get romantically involved with one of the opposite sex. The physical attraction keeps on growing. They are too young to get married, but they want to satisfy the desires that are building up inside them. So they begin toying with immorality, some even going so far as to commit fornication. Such ones fail to show they are wise because they do not “listen and take in more instruction,” as Proverbs 1:5 says wise ones do. Further, they fail to heed the counsel of Pr 1 verse 8 of the same chapter which says, “Listen, my son, to the discipline of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother.” They do not listen to their parents and they do not listen to their heavenly Father, Jehovah, and their “mother,” Jehovah’s wifelike organization. And because of this they fail to maintain integrity, they fail to stay loyally within the moral bounds that God’s Word sets out for them.

11. (a) What can we ask about those who have weakened their integrity? (b) What points have we learned thus far to aid us to maintain integrity?

¹¹ By the course of action that the individuals whom we have been discussing took, can we say they were strengthening their integrity? No, rather, the opposite was true. They were weakening it and even trying to weaken the integrity of others. What will happen when persecution or severe opposition comes upon them? Are these people then going to be able to stand? Will they stay loyal to God, close to their Christian brothers? What about us? Can we profit from considering their examples? Youths, can you not see the need to submit to God’s arrangement for you to be under the direction of your parents? Can you not see the need to avoid bad companionship, to avoid playing “hooky” or “cutting” classes? Do you appreciate the importance of listening to the wise counsel of Jehovah’s Word with regard to morals? And as for adults, can we not see the practicality of avoiding getting into debt unnecessarily, taking on financial obligations that may end up by our being classified as “wicked” by Jehovah? Are we cognizant too of not being critical of our brothers, of not failing to appreciate that Jehovah’s organizational arrangement is for our welfare and protection? Really, we have to work at fortifying ourselves so as to maintain integrity. (Prov. 11:3) But how?