Why Can't I?Sample

Why Can’t I?

Today’s teens live in a wonderful, bewildering world. It’s a world that gives them so much to do, so many activities to choose from, that it’s hard to make good decisions. From toboggans to tacos, from fishing to Frisbee, from horses to handicrafts— teens are always running somewhere or doing something.

In this world that is filled with so many things to do and choices to make, it’s important that you think seriously about choosing your activities. Not everything there is to do is good to do, you know. Some of it can hurt. Just learning to tell the difference is a big enough job to keep anyone busy for a while.

Take smoking, for instance. Should you smoke? How do you decide?

In a way, it might be nice if there were a rule book somewhere that listed all the good choices and warned against all the bad ones. Perhaps you thought the Bible was a book like that. Of course, the Bible is our guidebook, and it does list some dos and don’ts. But it does considerably better than just supplying us with rules. It also gives us principles.

Maybe you’re wondering what the difference is. At the zoo, there are signs that say, “Do not feed the animals.’’ The sign is a rule. If you ignore it, you stand a good chance of being escorted out the front gate.

The rule wasn’t made just because someone wanted to show his authority. It was made to protect the animals (and maybe you). Maintaining the welfare of the animals and their visitors is the principle on which the rule was made.

A rule may cover only one phase of our conduct, such as “Do not feed the animals.” But a principle is more general. It is the reason behind the rule. The zookeepers may have a dozen rules for taking care of the animals. All such rules are based on the same principle—preserve and enhance the well-being of the animals.

God has given us some definite principles, too, in conjunction with His rules. These principles tell us the reasons why we should or should not do certain things.

What are some of the principles God has given us in His Word?