February 23, 2023
Councel of the Wicked
By: N.L. Skjonsby
James was experiencing freedom for the first time in his life. He grew up on a small farm with his parents and two younger siblings. The whole family worked together and prayed together and lived a very isolated life. James was home schooled and upon completing his final year of high school, he decided to continue his education at a Junior college.
James and his father packed a bag and moved him to a dormitory on campus of St. Marks Junior College. All James had to his name was some clothes, books, and a computer. St. Marks was a Christian school and along with general studies, specialized in seminary education. James had sign up for a mixture of classes his first semester.
To say James experienced a culture shock would be an understatement. He had never been around so many people or exposed to so many new ideas. He was like a kid at a carnival for the first time. He wanted to see everything and wanted to experience it all. Luckily his room-mate helped keep him in check, somewhat.
By Christmas break James had gotten an earring, tried smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol and had even developed a habit of swearing. He had also come full circle and realized that none of those things were going to benefit him long term. He started to refer to the influence’s that introduced him to these things as counsel of the wicked. He knew the people who introduced him to these items were not wicked or even ill-intentioned and that everything he tried was by his own doing.
He learned a lot from his classes and even more from the community around the campus, but nothing made him more ready for adulthood than bucking peer pressure. At nine-teen years old he had achieved what many people never do, the self confidence to not be influenced by others.
-N. L. Skjonsby
— N. L. Skjonsby
Councel of the Wicked
By: N.L. Skjonsby
James was experiencing freedom for the first time in his life. He grew up on a small farm with his parents and two younger siblings. The whole family worked together and prayed together and lived a very isolated life. James was home schooled and upon completing his final year of high school, he decided to continue his education at a Junior college.
James and his father packed a bag and moved him to a dormitory on campus of St. Marks Junior College. All James had to his name was some clothes, books, and a computer. St. Marks was a Christian school and along with general studies, specialized in seminary education. James had sign up for a mixture of classes his first semester.
To say James experienced a culture shock would be an understatement. He had never been around so many people or exposed to so many new ideas. He was like a kid at a carnival for the first time. He wanted to see everything and wanted to experience it all. Luckily his room-mate helped keep him in check, somewhat.
By Christmas break James had gotten an earring, tried smoking cigarettes and drinking alcohol and had even developed a habit of swearing. He had also come full circle and realized that none of those things were going to benefit him long term. He started to refer to the influence’s that introduced him to these things as counsel of the wicked. He knew the people who introduced him to these items were not wicked or even ill-intentioned and that everything he tried was by his own doing.
He learned a lot from his classes and even more from the community around the campus, but nothing made him more ready for adulthood than bucking peer pressure. At nine-teen years old he had achieved what many people never do, the self confidence to not be influenced by others.
-N. L. Skjonsby
— N. L. Skjonsby
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