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Gang LifeThe youth of today are social creatures. They enjoy friendship and fun. They want a special group to hang with, someone with similar interest and concerns. They can identify with others who are on their level. This way, they don’t have to deal with the uncomfortable emotions associated with feeling out of place. The need in youth is to feel a sense of "belonging" is nothing new. The desire to be a part of something, or to have friends is natural and good. But when that desire leads to involvement in wrong things, then friendship turns to an unhealthy extreme. For example, when young boys join gangs, they are looking for love and acceptance. Many are from broken homes, and are starving for love and attention. But when you look at the result of gang activity, you will see that it has nothing to do with why they join in the first place. The needs are never met because gangs are "failing friends". Solomon said in Proverbs 1:10, 15, "My son, if sinners entice thee, consent thee not...My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path. We need to consider the long-term consequences of joining a gang. Once you get in, it’s hard to get out. You may tell some of the happenings you witnessed. You probably don’t know of anyone who got deeply involves in a gang and got out without messing up their life in one way or another. When I was a teen, I didn’t believe that I would get caught or get hurt, even though it was happening to my friends all the time. Well, my belief was false and dangerous, and it almost cost me my freedom and life. I wasn’t in an organized gang; I just got hooked up with the wrong crowd. By not effectively dealing with peer pressure, I made foolish decisions that got me in trouble. But no matter how you look at it, failing friendships lead to trouble. When you join a gang, you cannot be your own person. You have to think and act like the gang. You love who the gang loves, and hate who the gang hates. If the gang gets involved in drugs or crime, you have to do it too, whether you want to or not. Gang life is a no win situation that gets more and more complicated. The best thing is to give your life to Jesus Christ. As you walk in obedience to Him, you will develop the confidence to be your own person. Jesus is a friend that will never fail you. As you learn through Jesus Christ how to make right choices, then the right kind of friends will come into your life. Jesus wants you to live your life His way, and not the way of the gang. By: Edmund Brown |