Psalm 41:1
"Blessed is he who has regard for the weak; the LORD delivers him in times of trouble.
The LORD will protect him and preserve his life; He will bless him in the land and not
surrender him to the desire of his foes.
http://youtu.be/qpSBxxNNSWc - Phoebe Prince story -
Phoebe needed a hero; someone willing to stand with her against the malicious bullying. She felt alone and helpless to defend herself and her reputation. She couldn't see a time in future when it would be better. She couldn't think past the pain of the moment. What if other kids and teachers would have stood up and said, "Phoebe, what's happening to you is wrong, and we're not going to put up with it any longer." What if they would have stood up against the bullies and stood with Phoebe? What if they would have told the bullies "NO MORE!"
Jealousy. That's one of the Enemy's favorite tools. This nightmare, Phoebe's nightmare, all started over a boy. Phoebe was new to the school and one of the popular boys liked her. His old girlfriend was jealous and determined to make Phoebe pay for "stealing" him away from her. Her friends joined in and made Phoebe's life a living hell.
Phoebe's gone now. The kids involved in the bullying now have a police record. Nobody won this battle.
And the people who saw what was happening...they have to wonder, "What if I would have stepped up? What if I would have tried to a make difference for Phoebe?"
http://youtu.be/7_qGcq6z0A0 - Keep Holding On - Avril Lavigne
"How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
Defend the weak and the fatherless; the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."
Who am I, right?
Well, I'm one mom who is ready to say "NO MORE! Not on my watch!"
I have never been bullied. Nor have I bullied others. But you know what I have done?
I saw classmates who were made fun of and called names, and I didn't say anything. Oh, sure, I might smile at them in the hallways (and that was a good thing) but there was no way I was willing to sit by them at lunch. After all, then others might think I was "one of them" - one of the outcasts.
If I'm not part of the solution, I'm part of the problem!
Some of you may think this isn't something you need to be concerned about. You may not have a child that's dealing with bullying, but do you know a child that might be a victim or a perpetrator? Are you a teacher, an aunt, an uncle, a grandparent? You may be the only one willing to stand up for a child who needs to know they have value. Can you be "Jesus" to that child?
Parents, talk to your children. Your child may be experiencing bullying and too ashamed to tell you. He may be witnessing bullying and not know what he can do to stop it. He may be joining in with taunting and name-calling out of fear of becoming the next victim if he doesn't join in. And even the bullies themselves may very well be hurting on the inside and taking out their pain on someone they see as weaker, or they may just not understand the pain they are causing because they can't feel compassion. Whatever the situation, we adults need to come along side our kids and show them God's way is so much better.
Too many young people have killed themselves because of unrelenting bullying for us to act like it's not an issue we need to worry about. Let's stop this emotional and sometimes physical brutality. Let's say "NO MORE!". I don't think any of us approve of bullying, yet when we refuse to take a stand against it, aren't we just as guilty as the person who is doing the bullying?
Who do you think hurt Jesus the most? The Pharisees hurling all those insults and shouting for Jesus to be crucified or Peter, His trusted friend, denying that he even knew Him? The difference was Peter knew better but did it any way. TAKE A STAND!
If I'm not part of the solution, I'm part of the problem!
Bullying can happen to anyone. If we took an anonymous poll of our students and asked who had been bullied or made to feel left out or not good enough by their peers or by anyone, I'll bet we'd be amazed. I've included the video above as just one example of a young girl who appeared to have everything going for her. She was beautiful and well liked by many people, but a few mean spirited kids made her life a living-hell. No one knew until it was too late.
We parents should educate ourselves, too. Cyber-bullying is a horrible thing. Kids are being attacked and bullied through texting, Social network sites, email... And unlike when they are bullied at school and can find safety at home, they can't get away from cyber-bullying. It follows them wherever they go. And the anonymity of it gives would-be bullies more courage to be vicious and hateful. If your child is on Facebook or texting, teach him to block offensive "friends", tell him to refuse to engage in conversations that are mean spirited, tell him to tell an adult when he sees bullying on the internet, and make sure he knows the damage that words can cause, so that he won't inadvertently cause harm to someone else with his words. A careless accusation on Facebook, a hurtful comment could be just enough to push some struggling, hurting child over the edge. Those kids that terrorized the young lady on the video are now facing criminal charges - all because of their words!
I read this article from Focus on the Family.
http://www.focusonthefamily.com/parenting/schooling/bullying/the_wounded_spirit.aspx
I hope you'll take the time to read the entire article. Tom Neven paints a very real picture of what bullying can do to a person's spirit - even long after the bullying ends. He shares the painful story of Frank Peritti, author of This Present Darkness and Piercing Through the Darkness. Mr. Peritti was a victim of vicious bullying when he was young because of a medical condition that he had - it made him "different". Looking "different" is like waving a red flag in front of a bull to a bully.
Middle school years can be torture. For young Frank, the locker room - that male domain full of testosterone and immature boys who are doing their best to look like real "men", pushing and shoving, etc.... that locker room became his greatest fear. It was all in good fun, right? But to him and many other young boys, it was horrifying. He was much smaller than most of the guys because of his illness. His body growth had been stunted because of his medical problems. He wasn't strong. He certainly was not "manly" looking to those kids. Unfortunately for Frank, he looked different. He looked weak. So they attacked full force.
"There's the idea that somehow manliness is equated with cruelty; if you're cruel, if you're tough, if you one-up everybody physically, that makes you a man," he says. "That's the way it was in gym class anyway. The teacher's demeanor just permeated the rest of the class. But in that environment, that suck-it-up, no-pain, be-a-man environment, you're not going to complain about being picked on. And Mom and Dad said I had to be there. The teachers said I had to be there. No one, not one adult anywhere, said, 'You know what, Frank? What's happening to you is wrong. You shouldn't be putting up with that.'"
The bullying wasn't just in the gym or locker room. Every where he went, there was someone pushing and shoving, and shouting mean insults. Finally, one day after another vicious attack in a little grocery store, he ran out of the store and sat down on the curb and cried. He just couldn't suck it up any longer.
What kind of person finds joy in making another person feel so bad? What goes on in their brain that makes it okay to be mean and abusive to anyone else, especially, to someone smaller, weaker? And what's wrong with me that I can stand by and watch, or maybe even encourage the bad treatment by not standing up for what's right? Sometimes, all it would take to stop the bully is for someone to stand up to him and say "NO MORE!"
Finally, one teacher did something. That teacher noticed that Frank seemed a little down. He took the time to ask one little question: "How are you?" And Frank could see that this teacher really cared. That's when his life began to change. It all started with one person being willing to step up for a little boy who was scared and alone.
Mr. Peritti is just one of many celebrity types who experienced bullying as a child. Let me make this very clear. It wasn't the bullying that led to his success. It was the strength he found in Christ that helped him be successful inspite of the bullying. He gives credit to his strong Christian foundation that was given to him by godly parents. He also gives credit to that one teacher... ONE TEACHER... who took the time to care. Can you be the ONE person who might make a difference in someone's life?
If I'm not part of the solution, I'm part of the problem!
We are made to shine for Christ. God tells us to be salt and light in a world where bad things happen every day. Different does not mean "not as good". Sometimes it can mean "set apart; holy.
Light is definitely different from darkness. Kindness is different from meaness. Good is different from Bad.
God wants us to be different. And He wants us to make a difference.
What will you do the next time you see someone being mistreated unjustly? Here's the real question for me, as a mom. If I saw one of my children being attacked, would I stand by and keep my mouth shut for fear the attacker would turn on me? NO WAY! I don't care how big or how tough or how many - I would not stand quietly by and watch any of my children be hurt. What if it were your little brother or sister who was being bullied, would you laugh or maybe even join in with the taunting? Or would stand next to your brother and take his side? Would you be your sister's hero?
The best question is simply:
What would Jesus do? I think I know that answer.
Jesus stood up for me. He stepped in and took the punishment that I deserved. The worst bully in the world was after me. He called me names and accused me of all kinds of things! He made me feel so bad about myself, so unworthy that I just wanted to die. And when I was down and feeling so hopeless, he still continued to pound me into the ground.
But then Jesus came to my rescue. He took me by the hand and lifted me up from the dirt. He placed Himself in between me and the bully, and He told that bully, "NO MORE, she is mine!"
I don't have to guess what Jesus would do. I was there. I experienced it first hand. And I know without a doubt that whenever there is an injustice, He's ready to defend those who cannot defend themselves. Jesus is pretty good role model for me to follow. I'm probably not going to have to die defending someone from a bully, but I may end up getting bullied, too. I might even be labeled as "one of those outcasts". But that's okay. Jesus was an outcast too.
" The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
Edmund Burke
James 4:17 TNIV
So then, if you know the good you ought to do and don’t do it, you sin.
Psalm 82:2-4
“How long will you defend the unjust and show partiality to the wicked?
Defend the weak and the fatherless; uphold the cause of the poor and the oppressed.
Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked."
Take a stand for the oppressed. Defend the weak. Deliver them from the hand of the wicked. That's God's way.
Holy Father, it's just shameful how we treat each other. I'm remembering the times when I've stood by silently when someone was bullied or made fun of. It made me sad. I felt bad. I even had compassion. But I did nothing. Forgive me please. Give me the courage to come along those who are being belittled or abused, whether that's physical or emotional. Help me stand for what's right and defend the oppressed, instead of shrinking away in fear. Thank You Jesus for defending me against the enemy. I feel so safe and strong when You're by my side. I know You are always with me. Whom then shall I fear? In the mighty Name of my Protector and Redeemer, Jesus Christ,the HOLY Son of God, I pray.
Amen.
http://youtu.be/J4xm2mtDj2c - This LIfe - MercyMe
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