though a person has transgressed the laws of God he can have complete forgiveness. His past can be white as snow. So, as you read His Word, ask His forgiveness. This will give you much confidence and assurance. Have you ever considered the fact that Jesus Christ is in Heaven pre paring a place for you? My, what confidence this brings! You have a Heavenly home! This earth is just a temporary place. As you read God’s Word, He will give you an inner con fidence that is not possible in any other way. The person who is most confident is usually the one who can do things well. Competence begets confidence. So to improve yourself, take courses; try new things, and as you develop your skills, you will feel more con fident. MASS V AN D A L ISM Q. What, in your opinion, is the cause of mass vandalism in our pub lic schools, other private buildings and in private business? A. I believe that mass vandelism is a natural reflection of our present society. What can we expect from youth who are not saved — who do not know Christ as their personal Saviour, whose natures have never been changed? So many of our children are from broken homes. Sometimes we pass very lightly over the words “ broken homes.” But actually, broken homes mean broken hearts. They mean bro ken personalities and broken dreams. No doubt some of our mass van dalism is the result o f the reading materials, television and radio pro grams with which boys and girls are filling their minds. Lawlessness among young people is often the result of lack of super vision. Most boys and girls who com
mit crimes have very little guidance from their parents. And too often they haven’t enough to do. Some delinquency may be attrib uted to physical causes. Not long ago an experienced psychiatrist arranged for every boy in a certain correction home to have an electroencephalo gram (brain wave test). It was found that approximately 25 percent of these apparently healthy, normal boys had at some time sustained an injury to the brain. No doubt this was an important contributing fac tor to t h e i r maladjustment. Of course through medication and psy chotherapy most of these young men were able to get along satisfactorily. The greatest remedy and preven tion for juvenile crime is the gospel. When men and women and boys and girls accept Christ as their personal Saviour, God gives them a new na ture and He puts new desires into their hearts. This is certainly the answer to all sorts of difficulties. TROUBLE MAKERS Q. Why is it that boys and girls from Christian homes, with out standing parents, give us so much trouble in our Sunday schools? A. They don’t. Youngsters who are raised in fine Christian homes, by outstanding parents, are the best ad justed children in the world. I realize, of course, that we are often misled by the fact that a child comes from a home which is sup posedly a Christian home and where there may be considerable financial means. This home may have the out side appearance of a Christian unit; however, if we were to know it inti mately, we would realize that it is far from a Christian home and the parents may have very little under standing of boys and girls. THE KINO'S BUSINESS
SHY W ITH GIRLS Q. I am a twenty-three-year-old young man and would like to get married and have a happy home. However, I am so afraid of girls 1 can’t get to know them, probably be cause of my complex. I am not happy. I have tried to overcome my feelings and to throw off this problem, but I can’t. What can I do? A. Many people are shy and retir ing. They have almost no self-con fidence. All of us should reach out and extend ourselves to those around us. Sometimes we forget how lonely and how bashful other people are. There are several things I would like to suggest. First, realize that you can change; you don’t have to stay bashful and shy. Realize, too, that there are causes for this. Things have happened in your life which have made you feel the way you do. And the thing which will help you the very most is to realize what you have in Christ. If you are born again, and you love the Lord, you have a Heavenly Father who is watching over you, who cares for you and will guide you. This gives a person unlimited confidence. However, this realization doesn’t come automatically. As you devote yourself every day to reading God’s Word, finally your mind will become flooded with the fact that you do belong to God, that you have a royal position in Him. Second is the spiritual fact that He will provide for you. Even though you may go through deep waters, He will always be near you and will provide for you. Thirdly, realize He has forgiven you of your sins. Unforgiven sins rob most people o f their confidence. Feelings of guilt are real. Even 21
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