Beyond Bullies

Feeling alone can make things worse. 
What is the most embarrassing moment you have ever had? I can remember times when I have said the wrong thing or tripped and fallen in front of lots of people. Those moments were embarrassing but they only lasted a moment and then we all moved on.

My moments of suffering and true pain have most often been at the hands of another person. Most of the time this pain wasn’t physical but it was scary and humiliating nonetheless. Many times those who bully and torture others are afraid of something. It could be a lose in status or power, a desire to not be the one who is tortured and bullied or finally a desire to maintain the status quo. Those people often chose to interact with people out of fear rather than love. They chose to demean and belittle another in order to up lift themselves. It is an unfortunate and painful aspect of human nature.

This is the position that Jesus is in at his arrest. The authorities are afraid of Jesus because they know that his teachings are upsetting the status quo. They know that the people are drawn to him and his lessons are causing many to reconsider the world they are living in. This terrifies the authorities so they hatch a plan to have Jesus arrested and killed. They appeal to the crowds and the other leaders to complete their plan. They use fear to control those around them and to accomplish their goals. Finally they set out to humiliate Jesus before his death. They must have been terrified of his message of love.

It is often hard to see our way out of the mess. 
I wish we could tell our children that this behavior ends when they get older and that people grow out of it but that would be a lie. Many people do grow out of this behavior but many do not. We only need to watch one or two cable news shows (on either extreme) to see that bullying behavior continues. Please don’t hear that I believe our children should be doormats but when it seems impossible to escape those who will to harm us, we can give our children the knowledge that there is something beyond the world that the bullies are trying to maintain.

We can teach them that God chose love over fear. We should teach them after suffering comes rejoicing and joy. We should try to make our homes a placed where love is chosen over fear every day. This is how we raise resilient and strong adult who make wise and just decisions. We model it in even our smallest decision and when we mess up we ask them for forgiveness and love in return.

We just have to choose which side we are on.
This is how Love Wins. We own it as part of our story, we model it and we give one another grace when we mess it up. Mostly we do not allow the suffering of the moment to control how we respond. We place great faith is the joy that follows.

Today’s Scripture: Psalm 30
A Psalm. A Song at the dedication of the temple. Of David.
1 I will extol you, O Lord, for you have drawn me up,
   and did not let my foes rejoice over me. 
2 O Lord my God, I cried to you for help,
   and you have healed me. 
3 O Lord, you brought up my soul from Sheol,
   restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit.* 
4 Sing praises to the Lord, O you his faithful ones,
   and give thanks to his holy name. 
5 For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime.
Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. 
6 As for me, I said in my prosperity, ‘I shall never be moved.’ 
7 By your favor, O Lord, you had established me as a strong mountain;
you hid your face; I was dismayed. 
8 To you, O Lord, I cried, and to the Lord I made supplication: 
9 ‘What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit?
Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? 
10 Hear, O Lord, and be gracious to me!
   O Lord, be my helper!’ 
11 You have turned my mourning into dancing;
   you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, 
12 so that my soul* may praise you and not be silent.
   O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.
Prayer for Today:
Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave his body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Conversation Starters:
  • Are you being bullied or picked on? Where do you go to feel safe?
  • How can we help and support you?
  • How do you respond when others are mean to you?
  • Can you tell me about a time when you chose Love over Fear?
  • What led you to make that choice?



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