“I enjoy my friend’s company, but sometimes he gets off on racial issues, and his intolerance and bigotry really make me very uncomfortable. I tried to say something to him about it once, but it just made him angry. How should I handle this?”
“My family is constantly getting after me because I have a hard time making decisions, not just about big things but small things, too. I wish I wasn’t so indecisive, but I guess that’s the way God made me. Do you have any advice?”
“I own a small business that hires a lot of young people, but I’m frustrated because I can’t find very many who are reliable and actually want to work. Doesn’t the Bible say we’re not supposed to be lazy?”
“I’m about to graduate from high school, and I’m tired of my parents and everybody bugging me about what I’m going to do next. I’m not interested in college or anything like that, but they keep pushing me to make up my mind. How can I get them off my back?”
“I want to get married, but my boyfriend says we need to live together to see if it’s going to work out. He says all our friends do it, and I guess he’s right, but I’m not sure I want to go down this road. What is your advice?”
“I get turned off by preachers who constantly beg for money. Our church started a big building campaign a few months ago, and I’m tired of them asking for money. Jesus didn’t beg people for money, did He?”
“We had a great Christmas — until the credit card bills began arriving. That was months ago, but I don’t think we’ll ever get them paid off. I guess this isn’t a very spiritual question, but could you warn people about thoughtless spending? I wish someone had warned us.”
“My exercise instructor says we should learn to relax by emptying our minds of all thoughts, and then meditating on peace and calmness (or at least I think that’s what she’s saying). Does the Bible say anything about meditation?”
“I get just as much out of watching a church service on television as I do actually going to one. Why should I go to all the trouble of getting dressed and fighting traffic and all that? To me, that’s just a waste of time and energy.”
“I went to church this Easter, and the pastor made a remark about people who are just Christmas-and-Easter Christians. He was probably trying to be funny, but I don’t think he should’ve put people like me down or made us feel unwelcome, do you? ”
“Several of my friends are active church types, but I can’t see that it makes any difference in the way they live. How do you explain this? I don’t think they’re any better than I am.”
“I thought I could find God by studying the major religions, but I’ve only ended up confused. You’ll probably tell me to look at Christianity, but I’ve never tried because there are so many different churches. Maybe God can’t be found. Can you help? ”