The Bible tells us that the greatest treasure and the most precious characteristic of a youth is his morality. We have the example of Joseph when he lived in the house of Potiphar and had to face temptation. Pharaoh's wife was certainly very beautiful, and she liked Joseph very much, which is why she wanted to have an intimate relationship with him. Genesis 39:9 tells us what Joseph's reaction to her overtures was: "There is none greater in this house than I; neither hath he kept back any thing from me but thee, because thou art his wife: how then can I do this great wickedness, and sin against God?"
This verse gives us many important details. I would like to emphasize one: Joseph was strong in faith and kept his mind. One may ask himself how Joseph could resist such a temptation. The answer is found in verse 3: "The Lord was with him,..." Because of this, he had a very high goal in life. He was faithful in little things and so did not fall into this grave sin. God gave him power to fulfill his goal.
We are also tempted by our eyes, and the Bible tells us in Proverbs 4:25 where we should always direct our eyes. "Let thine eyes look right on, and let thine eyelids look straight before thee." And on whom? "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;" Hebrews 12:2. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 25:15: "Mine eyes are ever toward the Lord; for He shall pluck my feet out of the net."
God has a pure hatred of sin, especially of moral faults and spots, and His Spirit tells us in Ecclesiastes 9:8: "Let thy garments be always white; and let thy head lack no ointment." We know that oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit, so we should always be guided by Him, not by our desires and lusts. One can maintain his moral purity by keeping his thoughts pure. There is a promise regarding this in Philippians 4:7: "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
A young person can be compared with a colt that wants to break loose and run free. But who would think of raising an animal to maturity by allowing him to run free without training him? Christians should value self-control and grow in will power through self-discipline. The Bible asks a question in Psalm 119:9: "Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way?" The answer is given in the last part of the verse: "By taking heed thereto according to Thy word." Through reading the Holy Scriptures and the testimonies with deep humility and faith--because it is by faith that we receive Jesus Christ into our hearts and minds--we can obtain power for a pure life.
There are also other points which will help us in this. For example, we should spend time outdoors and breathe fresh air, exercise, eat what we know is healthful and not just what looks good to our eyes, always have fresh air when we sleep, and keep good spiritual company. There is a saying: "Birds of a feather flock together." It is also a great benefit to sing and listen to noble, spiritual songs that praise God. What happened when David played his harp? "And it came to pass, when the evil spirit from God was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him." 1 Samuel 16:23. The Bible encourages us to sing and praise God. "Sing praises to God, sing praises: sing praises unto our King, sing praises." Psalm 47:7.
No one can overcome Satan's temptations without faith and prayer; only if we accept Jesus' sacrifice by faith can we obtain what is written in 2 Peter 1:4: "That by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature,..."
A Christian should have a goal in his life, as did Joseph; and this goal is to deeply love our heavenly Husband, for it is wonderful to fall in love with Jesus, in whom we can grow and in whom we can be strong. Only after we have done this are we really ready to have an earthly partner. First we need to know God and have experiences with Him, and then we can ask Jesus to choose for us the right person we should live with faithfully until He returns. May the Lord help each one of us to be strong in the Lord, as was Joseph, so we will not play with our salvation but faithfully wait for the Lord Jesus Christ, our heavenly Husband. May God bless each young person in this way!
--Tünde Szekerés, Hungary
