Education in Singapore

While the Internet may bring about more challenges for the youths today, there are still other areas that may pose a challenge to them in modern-day life. The education system in Singapore is becoming increasingly stressful and demanding. Students are expected to juggle between the Co-Curricular Activities (CCA), homework, exams and other activities that their parents sign them up for. Such activities include picking up an instrument, speech and drama or sometimes taking up a sport that can be too expensive for the school to fund. Youths have their days packed with activities, ranging from tuition to swimming classes, to help them achieve an “all-rounded” image of themselves. It is not wrong for students to want to work hard for what they want to achieve, nor is it wrong for parents to push their children to excel in school. However, Christian youths often find themselves focusing on the wrong things. More often than not, these teenagers work hard to excel in school for personal glory, instead of labouring for the Lord. Colossians 3:23 tells us, “And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men”. Moreover, when our main objective for excelling in school is for personal glory, we are stealing the glory of the Lord, which is against the Eighth Commandment. If the Lord has provided us with everything, even the strength and wisdom to go about our daily lives, we should always give all glory to Him.

Time for God

Also, with such hectic lifestyles, it is difficult for youths to find time to worship the Lord or do their daily Quiet Time. When youths are unable to do so, they are unable to equip themselves with the necessary scripture verses to fight against the wiles of the devil. Quiet Time is a sure way to know the Lord better. The Lord has left us with His perfect Word to point us to Him, that we may undergo sanctification. Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Without His Word to guide us, youths will not be able to keep to the strait and narrow path that the Lord wants us to walk in. Truly, His Word is a light that directs our paths. But in order to keep to His Word, we must first know His Word. We cannot obey the Lord if we do not know what He expects of us in the first place. This can only be achieved through reading, learning and meditating on the Scriptures. Therefore when youths become too busy to study the Bible, many of them often stray away from the strait and narrow way. This is another challenge that is commonly seen among youths today.

Peer Pressure

In addition, Christian youths in modern society often face peer pressure in school. Even if they try to obey the Lord and His precepts, they often find themselves being laughed at. When they say grace before their meals, inquisitive “friends” around them will question their actions and make them feel awkward. In order to gain rapport with their fellow schoolmates, it is often found that youths tend to compromise and end up disobeying the Lord. Also, peers around them may encourage them to take up vices which are clearly against God’s Word. Such vices include smoking, drinking and clubbing. Singapore is known to have a very active night life, where people flock to night clubs such as Zouk or Butter Factory to “have some fun”. Actually, they waste their night away by drinking glass after glass of alcohol and behaving like fools on the dance floor. The Bible tells us in 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.” If we love God, we will not participate in such vices.

Warning

2 Timothy 3:1-4 warns us, “This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own  selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God.” In such a time, youths also forget the Fifth Commandment—“Honour thy father and thy mother” (Exodus 20:12). Many a time, youths think that their parents do not understand them because “times have changed” and their parents are simply “being too much of a nag”. They forget that these parents are ordained by God, to help lead and guide them on the strait and narrow way. Therefore, they become unthankful and disobedient to their parents, and would much rather follow the ways of the world despite their parents’ teachings. This, again, is another challenge that the youths face today. When they are not thankful for their parents and do not obey them, it is also disobeying our Heavenly Father, who appointed them to be our parents. If we are unable to obey our earthly parents whom we can see daily, how will we be able to obey our Heavenly Father whom we cannot see physically?

Pride

Lastly, youths today also struggle with pride. Pride is prevalent in today’s society. Adam Khoo teaches his students to have self- esteem, to believe that they can do it by their own strength. This is contrary to what the Lord teaches us. The Lord teaches us to draw our strength from Him and to have God-esteem instead of self-esteem. Hollywood’s influence on the youths is also obvious in their lives. Many youths crave to be popular, to be well- known. They wish to proclaim their name on high, rather than God’s name. They want to be recognised by the world for their abilities and their deeds, rather than to give God the glory. Indeed, celebrities these days have a big part to play in this thinking. With the paparazzi and the papers stalking and talking about their every move, it is almost as if the whole world is paying attention to what they say or do. Influenced by these pop stars, youths also want to have their shot at fame with the help of the new media like YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. It is no wonder that many talent shows, such as American Idol, or X Factor, have been launched all in the hope of crowning a new celebrity annually. Beware the “pride of life”. The Lord tells us in Proverbs 16:18-19, “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. Better it is to be of an humble spirit with the lowly, than to divide the spoil with the proud.”

Armour of God

Yet the Lord commands us in Ephesians 6:10-11, “Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.” All these sins and temptations are very difficult to overcome. The very first step towards the road to victory is probably confession. Most youths often flatly deny that they are addicted to computer games, or that they are being disrespectful to their parents. However, before the Lord is able to work in their hearts, they need to be convicted and confess that they are guilty of their sinful deeds. They need to know that they are weak and cannot save themselves, and that only the Lord Jesus Christ can save them. Salvation is not about what we can do, but what Jesus Christ has already done for us. The second step would then be to agree with the gospel. Agreeing that the gospel is true is crucial as it is recognising that what the Lord says is true. The Lord is faithful to His Word and He keeps His promises. The last step is to believe. Believing the gospel is the most important step. It separates the believer from the non-believer. The Holy Spirit comes to dwell within us when we believe in the gospel. Jesus tells us in John 14:26, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” It is this Holy Spirit that will help us to discern right from wrong. It will remind us and teach us to follow the statutes that the Lord has laid for us.

Bible and Prayer

Living a Christian life is definitely not easy. Satan works very hard to tempt us, like how he tempted Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Yet, when our focus is on the Lord, the Lord will give us the grace to overcome all the temptations of the Devil. 1 Corinthians 10:13, “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.” If we put our trust in our Lord and have faith that He will deliver us, then there is really no need to fear. Although the sinful nature is still in us, the old man has passed away. Sanctification is a slow process that will last our entire lifetime here on earth. Yet, we are comforted to know that in every step of the way, the Lord is walking with us. It is only through much prayer and meditation of His Word that we can grow in Him. When we grow in Christ, former things that used to allure us will grow strangely dim. Also, Paul tells us to “Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.” (Colossians 3:2) Surely the Lord wants us to live a victorious life in Him, and He will definitely give us the grace to do so, only if we diligently seek Him. Daniel purposed in his heart not to sin against the Lord, and in the end he succeeded to overcome the many temptations that he had to face. Likewise, the Lord will help all who seek and trust in Him.

Two Overarching Commandments

Finally, the Lord has two overarching commandments of us. Matthew 22:37-40, “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.” As long as we seek to obey these two commandments, and trust Him to give us the grace and faith to get through our everyday trials, youths can definitely overcome the challenges that they face on a day-to-day basis.