"And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God." (Rom. 12:2)

A television documentary showed a lot about the behavior of sheep. One scene was of a packing house where sheep were slaughtered. The sheep had to walk from their large pen up a narrow ramp and then turn right. In order to get the sheep to move up the ramp, a "Judas goat" was trained to lead the sheep up the ramp to their death. The goat was placed among the sheep and then walked confidently to the ramp as the nervous sheep watched. After the goat got about five feet up the ramp, he stopped and confidently looked around at the nervous sheep, who then began to follow. Near the top of the ramp the goat turned left, as a gate was opened only for him and then closed. The sheep, however, continued up the ramp and turned right, to their death. (From 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, p. 78).

The major cause for the use of drugs and alcohol among teenagers is that they want to do what most of their piers are doing. They think that if most other teenagers are doing it, it must be good to do. We encourage all our your people to not be conformed to "Judas goats," who will lead them to their destruction.