"Be strong and very courageous. Be careful to obey all the law my servant Moses gave you; do not turn from it to the right or to the left, that you may be successful wherever you go." -Joshua 1:7 (NIV)
Most students who find themselves in situations or places that they hoped they’d never be do so because of tiny compromises that they made early in their life journey. I have never met a student who has ever identified alcoholism as a career goal. Neither have I met an ambitious student whose “Top 10 Things to Do Before Graduation” included becoming a parent prematurely, getting kicked off the team, or losing the trust and respect of their parents.
Although most students would want to avoid these misfortunes like the plague, many engage in behaviors that increase the probability of them experiencing these situations. These compromises are common among all teens, black or white, rich or poor, and regardless of whether they live in the city or suburbs.
Almost always, the common denominator is drug use. It doesn’t matter if it’s a cigarette here or there, an occasional beer or hard liquor drink, or weed, blunts, ecstasy or heroin. Drugs will always diminish the masterpiece that is you! You are a miracle of God. When you are high or enhanced, the end result of what you’ve smoked, drunk, popped or huffed will always be defeat.
Most of those who compromise do so because of the absence of three things: faith in Christ, commitment and accountability. I am so glad that when I was a teen, I had faith enough to believe that if I did what was right, all the right things in life would come back to me. I’m glad I had the courage and strength to commit to being drug-free and not turn to the left or right of that commitment. I’m also glad that I surrounded myself with like-minded people who held me accountable to my commitments.
1. What is your view on alcohol and drug use? Do you agree that using drugs will diminish the masterpiece that is you?
2. Are you compromising in the area of drug and alcohol use? If so, how?
3. What commitments will you make with regard to faith, commitment and accountability to be “one way 2 play”—drug and alcohol free?
Joshua 1:9; Psalm 84:11; 1 Corinthians 6:19; Hebrews 12:1-2
God, help me as I make this commitment to remain drug free. Help me identify an accountability partner—someone who will help me to be faithful to my commitment and who will ask me the tough questions each week. Amen.
About the Author:
Steve Fitzhugh has been motivating and inspiring audiences with his own style of effective communication for over 25 years. Because of Steve’s expertise with youth, most of his time is spent on middle school, high school, and college campuses. He is currently the national spokesperson for FCA’s One Way 2 Play Drug-Free program and oversees an after-school teen drop-in center he co-founded in Southeast Washington, DC.