There's a story about an MIT student who spent an entire summer going to the Harvard football field every day wearing a black and white striped shirt, walking up and down the field for ten or fifteen minutes throwing birdseed, blowing a whistle, and then walking off the field.
At the end of the summer, it came time for the first Harvard home football game, the referee walked onto the field and blew the whistle, and the game had to be delayed for a half hour to wait for the birds to get off of the field.
The guy wrote his thesis on this, and graduated.

CHEATING IS GOOD? R.Digest 7/2000 (letters re: article on "Campus Cheats")

• Go for it. If you don’t someone else will, and you’ll end up at the bottom of the class. And for what? Long nights of studying and no sleep! It’s a dog eat dog world, and everyone has to get theirs. – c.c. via Internet
• We cheat on taxes, on speed limits, by telling little white lies. It is not the right thing to do, but you have to be with the pack or get trampled by those charging after you. In the long run we cheat ourselves and each other. – Homer Lash, Columbus, OH

LINING UP PEER PRESSURE James Dobson Ph.D. Focus On The Family Magazine 6/00

A team of doctors decided to conduct an experiment to study the ways in which group pressure influences young people. To accomplish this, they invited 10 teenagers into a room and told them they were going to evaluate their "perception" in order to learn how well each student could "see" the front of the room where he sat.

The doctors said, "We’re going to hold up some cards at the front of the room. On each card are 3 lines – Line A, Line B and Line C – each of a different length…. When we point to the longest line, please raise your hand to show that you know it is longer than the others." They repeated the directions to be sure everybody understood and then raised the first card and pointed to the top line.

What one student didn’t know was that the other 9 had been secretly informed earlier to vote for the second longest line. In other words, they were told to vote wrongly.

The doctors held up the first card and pointed to Line A, which was clearly shorter than line B. At this point, all 9 students raised their hands. The fellow being studied looked around in disbelief. It was obvious that Line B was the longest line, but everybody seemed to think Line A was longer. He later admitted that he thought, "I must not have been listening during the directions. Somehow, I missed the point, and I’d better do what everybody else is doing or they’ll laugh at me." So he carefully raised his hand with the rest of the group.

Then the researchers explained the directions again: "Vote for the longest line; raise your hand when we point to the longest line."

It couldn’t have been more simple! Then they held up the 2^nd card, and again, 9 people voted for the wrong line. The confused fellow became more tense over his predicament, but eventually he raised his hand with the group once again. Over and over he voted with the group, even though he knew they were wrong.

This young man was not unusual. In fact, more than 75 percent of the young people tested behaved that same way. They sat there time after time, saying a short line was longer than a long line! They simply didn’t have the courage to say, "The group is wrong. I can’s say why, but you guys are all confused." Only 25 out of 100 had the courage to take their stand against the group. This is what peer pressure does to an insecure person.

Another interesting characteristic was revealed by this study. If just one other student voted for the correct line, then the chances were greatly improved that the fellow being studied would also do what he thought was right. This means that if you have even one friend who will stand with you against the group, you probably will have more courage, too.

A little boy was counting out the money that he had been saving to buy a baseball glove, and then bowed down to pray. "Dear God," he said, "please help me save enough money to buy that ball glove… and don’t let the ice cream man come down our street."

THE 8^TH TIME AROUND THE BLOCK – PRAYER ANSWERED

An man decided it was time to shed some excess pounds. He took his new diet seriously, even changing his driving route to avoid his favorite bakery.
One morning, however, he arrived at work carrying a gigantic coffeecake. Everyone scolded him, but his smile remained cherubic.
"This is a very special coffeecake," he explained. "I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning and there in the window were a host of goodies. I felt this was no accident, so I prayed, 'Lord, if you want me to have one of those delicious coffeecakes, let me have a parking place directly in front of the bakery.'
"And sure enough," he continued, "the eighth time around the block, there it was!"

One of our recent Sunday school lessons for children talked about how Jesus resisted a temptation in the desert by quoting Scripture. Jeremy, a most mischievous 5 year old boy, seemed fascinated by the story and told his mother all about what he’d learned. Later that week, Jeremy’s mom wanted to see if her son remembered the lesson.

"Honey," she asked, "tell me again. How did Jesus get rid of the devil when he tempted Him to do bad?"

Jeremy remembered. "Simple. Jesus told the devil all his memory verses."

QUOTE: I can resist everything except temptation. Oscar Wilde

LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION Bits and Pieces 3/2/95 Vol. M No. 15

A minister parked his car in a no parking zone in a large city and attached the following message to his windshield: "I have circled this block 10 times. I have an appointment to keep. Forgive us our trespasses."

When he returned to his car, he found this reply attached to his own note along with a ticket: "I've circled this block for 10 years. If I don't give you a ticket, I lose my job. Lead us not into temptation."

A group of natives in Africa found a very clever way of catching monkeys alive. They made a hole in a log and put bait inside. The monkey reached his hand in to get the bait, but when his fingers closed on it, he couldn't get both the bait and his fist back through the hole. Determined to hang on to what he had at any cost, he was still hanging on when captured. All he needed to do to be free was to let go. But to the monkey letting go was incomprehensible - his priorities would not permit it.

Hanging on to the treasures of this world by o Christian may mean enslavement to and subservience by Satan (I John 2:15, 16).

As a boy in the middle west, I used to amuse myself by holding a stick across a gateway that the sheep had to pass through. After the first few sheep had jumped over the stick, I took it away; but all the other sheep leaped through the gateway over an imaginary barrier. The only reason for their jumping was that those in front had jumped. The sheep is not the only animal with that tendency. Almost all of us are prone to do what others are doing, to believe what others are believing, without question, the testimony of prominent men. Dale Carnegie, St. John's Eagle

SNAKES Guideposts, November 1989 p. 16

Many years ago, Indian youths would go away in solitude to prepare for manhood. One such youth hiked into a beautiful valley and there fasted for three days. On the third day, as he looked up at the surrounding mountains, he noticed one tall rugged peak, capped with dazzling snow.

I will test myself against that mountain, he thought. He put on his buffalo-hide shirt, threw his blanket over his shoulders and set off to climb the peak.

When he reached the top he stood on the rim of the world. He could see forever, and his heart swelled with pride. Then he heard a rustle at his feet, and looking down, he saw a snake. Before he could move, the snake spoke.

"I am about to die," said the snake. "It is too cold for me up here and I am freezing. There is no food and I am starving. Put me under your shirt and take me down to the valley."

"No," said the youth. "I am forewarned. In know your kind. You are a rattlesnake. If I pick you up, you will bite, and your bite will kill me."

"Not so," said the snake "I will treat you differently. If you do this for me, you will be special. I will not harm you."

The youth resisted awhile, but this was a very persuasive snake with beautiful markings. At last the youth tucked it under his shirt and carried it down to the valley. The he laid it gently on the grass, when suddenly the snake coiled, rattled and leapt, biting him on the leg.

"But you promised - " cried the youth.

"You knew what I was when you picked me up," said the snake as it slithered away.

FOLLOWING THE CROWD R.Digest 7/80 p.59

President Coolidge once invited some down-home friends to breakfast at the White House. Worried about protocol, they decided to do everything Coolidge did. Things went smoothly until the coffee was served and Coolidge poured his into a saucer. The guests followed suit. Then he added sugar and cream. The guests did likewise. Then Coolidge leaned over and placed his on the floor - for the cat.

MIDLIFE CRISIS: A MYTH? R.Digest 6/90 p.108

The term "midlife crisis" has evolved into a stereotype synonymous with turning 40, leaving one's spouse and buying a red sports car. But studies show that a middle-aged person is no more likely to become depressed or to radically change personality than are people of other ages. In 2 studies of nearly 550 men, researchers concluded that personality traits remain stable through adulthood; those who complained of a midlife crisis had probably complained of other emotional problems earlier in their lives.

"They are complainers," says Paul T. Costa, J., an author of the studies and chief of the Laboratory of Personality and Cognition at the National Institute on Aging in Maryland.

Susan Whitbourne, a psychology professor at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, has reached similar conclusions. In a random sample of 94 people ages 24 to 61, Whitbourne found that a subject's desire for intensive self scrutiny and radical life changes had no relationship to his or her age. "Midlife crisis offers a convenient excuse," she says, "for irresponsible behavior, job failure or strained personal relationships."

OVERCOMING EVIL R.Digest 12/86 p.5

Overcoming locked gates, tall fences and snapping dogs presents a challenge for us meter readers in rural Oklahoma, where we are required to read all meters: no estimates are allowed. One time a co-worker succeeded in getting past a particularly vicious watchdog tied to a chain that was long enough to give him sway over the entire back yard and driveway. Later, the man was questioned by his superior: "How were you able to get past that watchdog? The customer is curious."

"That's easy, boss," the meter reader replied. "I parked on his chain."

QUOTE: "Those who flee temptation generally leave a forwarding address." Lane Olinghouse

AFRAID WHAT YOU'D TELL ME Leadership Spring '84, p.45

A school teacher lost her life savings in a business scheme that had been elaborately explained to her by a swindler. When her investment disappeared and her dream was shattered, she went to the Better Business Bureau.

"Why on earth didn't you come to us first?" the official asked. "Didn't you know about the BBB?

"Oh, yes," said the lady sadly. "I've always known about you. But I didn't come because I was afraid you'd tell me not to do it."

NOW THAT'S TEMPTATION William Willimon "What's Right With the Church"

In a Sunday School class studying the temptation of Christ in the desert, the teacher asked "How are we tempted today?" A young salesman was the first to speak. "Temptation is when your boss calls you in as mine did yesterday, and says 'I'm going to give you a real opportunity. I'm going to give you a bigger sales territory. We believe you are going places young man.'

"But I don't want a bigger sales territory," the young salesman told his boss. "I'm already away from home 4 nights a week. It wouldn't be fair to my wife and daughter."

"Look," his boss replied, "We're asking you to do this for your wife and daughter. Don't you want to be a good father? It takes money to support a family these days. Sure, your little girl doesn't take much money now, but think of the future. Think of her future. I'm only asking you to do this for them," the boss

said.

The young man told his class, "Now that's temptation."

THE DYING EAGLE By Bruce Larson in "The Gospel of Matthew" p.69

Larson's friend Rick is an avid bird watcher. One day on a trip to a remote region, he had fixed his binoculars on an old eagle he had nicknamed "Boss" because he seemed to be the biggest bird in the valley. Boss was doing lazy rolls, catching the thermals, and wheeling effortlessly in the sun. Suddenly, the bird dove straight down, his eyes on a target invisible to Rick. But when the eagle reached the floor of the valley and began to ascend once more, it was obvious that he had gained the prize he was after. A large animal was griped in his talons. Rick continued to watch, first with fascination then with growing apprehension. Boss began to fly crazily and erratically, still gripping his prize. Finally, he wheeled abruptly, crashed headlong into a nearby cliff and plummeted to the valley floor.« Stunned, Rick laboriously began to climb down to the spot where the eagle had fallen. After over an hour's time, he finally came upon the stricken bird with its prey still in its grip. Boss's meal had been a badger, one of the meanest and most ferocious animals alive. The scenario was obvious. Boss had gotten his prize, but the badger was no easy victim. He retaliated by gnawing away the eagle's stomach. Boss's prize was his undoing.

SATAN'S WHISPER R.Digest 2/77 p.119

A young minister was taking his wife to task for breaking her promise not to buy a new dress. "It must have been the devil's fault," she murmured. "He tempted me."

"You could have said, 'Get thee behind me, Satan,'" replied her husband.

"I did," she said. "But he whispered over my shoulder, 'It fits you beautifully in back, too.'"

QUOTE: "Flatterers look like friends, as wolves like dogs" George Chapman

MORALITY by Kenneth L. Wilson

I have never been tempted to rob a bank. Not doing it, then, doesn't make me particularly virtuous on that account. "Because it is there" is, for me, an absurd reason to knock it off."

My moral fiber and that of about 99 percent of all the people in the world is not validated by not robbing banks. It is validated, rather, by not doing things which we have the opportunity and even the inclination to do but which, by choice, we do not do.

Franklin P. Jones on RESISTING TEMPTATION in "Quote"

Nothing makes it easier to resist temptation than a proper bringing up, a sound set of values - and witnesses.

QUOTE: Resisting temptation is usually just a matter of putting it off until nobody's looking. Franklin P Jones

QUOTE: Habits are first cobwebs, then cables. Spanish proverb