Come Into My Parlor

I ran across this and think it addresses peer pressure very well.

Web of Peer Pressure Deception
     Once a spider built a beautiful web in an old house. He kept it clean and shiny so that flies would patronize it. The minute he got a "customer" he would clean up after him so the other flies would not get suspicious.
     Then one day this fairly intelligent fly came buzzing by the clean spiderweb. Old man spider called out, "Come in and sit." But the fairly intelligent fly said, "No sir, I don't see other flies in your house, and I am not going in alone!"
     Presently the fly saw on the floor below him a large crowd of flies dancing around on a piece of brown paper. He was delighted! He was not afraid if lots of flies were doing it. So he came in for a landing.
     Just before he landed, a bee zoomed by, saying, "Don't land there, stupid. That's flypaper!" But the fairly intelligent fly shouted back, "Don't be silly. Those flies are dancing. There's a big crowd there. Everybody's doing it. That many flies can't be wrong!" Well, you know what happened. He died on the spot.
     Some of us want to be in the crowd so badly we end up in a mess because we didn't listen or search out a situation.
     What does it profit a fly (or a person) if he escapes the web only to end up in the glue?

Charles R. Swindoll

He closed with this scripture:

Enter not into the path of the wicked, and go not in the way of evil men. Avoid it, pass not by it, turn from it, and pass away. For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall. For they eat the bread of wickedness, and drink the wine of violence. (Proverbs 4:14-17 KJV)

This is important in all of our lives, but of utmost importance to our children. Decisions made in their youth have consequences that last a lifetime, and in some cases, that’s a very short time. In Swindoll’s example, Fly depended on his perceptions of those like him. If they weren’t there, it’s not a good place.  That is a good picture of people, isn’t it?

Just as that Fly, we have been given the opportunity to make decisions about our path.  We come across many people and places that we investigate. We receive information along the way. What we listen to determines our decision.

Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! (Isaiah 5:20 KJV)

How hard is it to know the difference between good and evil? Comes down to understanding two commandments:

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. (Matthew 22:37-40 KJV)