Bullying
Bullying has become a big topic in schools.
What does the Bible have to say about it?
1
Corinthians 15:33
33 Don’t be fooled by those who say such things, for “bad
company corrupts good character.”
All of us have probably known a bully, bullied someone
ourselves or have been the recipient of bullying. Do you fight back? Do you
turn the other cheek? Do you let someone in authority know about it? What are
the consequences of not speaking up? What are the consequences of telling
someone? All of these questions can be difficult to navigate as it relates to
how to handle this issue. We all know that bullying is wrong, but how should we
treat bullies and those they bully?
Proverbs 4:14-17
14 Don’t do as the wicked do, and don’t follow the path of
evildoers. 15 Don’t even think about it; don’t go that way. Turn away and
keep moving. 16 For evil people can’t sleep until they’ve done their evil
deed for the day. They can’t rest until they’ve caused someone to stumble. 17 They eat the food of wickedness and drink the wine of
violence!
What is
bullying?
Bullying is
commonly defined as intentional, repeated, hurtful acts, words, or other
behavior on the part of one or more other individuals. Among children or youth,
bullying may be physical (hitting, or damaging possessions), verbal
(name-calling or taunting), emotional (threatening or stalking), or social (spreading rumors or the imposition
of isolation).
For the young aggressor, bullying often leads to greater and
prolonged violence throughout life.
For the young aggressor, bullying often leads to greater and
prolonged violence throughout life.
Proverbs 2:12-15
12 Wisdom will save you from evil people, from those whose words
are twisted. 13 These men turn from the right way to walk down dark paths.14 They take pleasure in doing wrong, and they enjoy the twisted
ways of evil. 15 Their actions are crooked, and their ways are wrong.
.
WHAT CAN WE DO TO STOP BULLYING??
Talk to kids who are
being bullied at school, and you’ll discover soon enough that they do not feel
stronger. If you can get them to talk, you’ll discover that they feel
hopeless, one of the most dangerous states of mind for any person. They feel
small, and many hate themselves. During the rare moments when they do talk
honestly, what comes out of them is the heavy language of despair, misery,
gloom, and exasperation.
Proverbs 13:12
“Hope deferred
makes the heart grow sick”—not strong, says the Bible. “But a longing fulfilled
is the tree of life”.
Teach your children if
they are a victim of a bully to tell you, tell a teacher or a pastor at your
church.
Teach your children to
be supportive of the kid
who’s been targeted. Call him/her up. Ask him/her to sit with you at lunch the
next day. Walk with him/her to class. Be an ally, an “upstander,” as we call
it. Help that kid feel like he or she has status. That’s what a kid needs.
Adults help a child who is the target of bullying. Do not be
a bystander, become the kind of Good Samaritans that Jesus praised.
Adults and peers who
possess courage and who are able and willing to use force justly only if
necessary on their behalf, teaches integrity by helping and doing what is
right.
Teach your children not
to be a bystander.
Teach them to stand
up to the bully by getting an adult or their friends to stand by the bullied
child showing that he/she is not along or by blocking the child that is being
bullied. The young aggressor will not
try to fight everyone.
Help for bullies is
another way if helping. Many bullies that are not helped as a child are headed
for at least one run-in with the law by the time they are 24.
Teach children not to
be bullies. Explain or act out a lesson
on how they would feel if they were the victim of a bully.
Teachers can put on a
play about bulling or have students watch a movie.
Meanamorphosis
VIDEO FOR MIDDLE & HIGH SCHOOLERS
Romans 12:17-21
17 Never pay back evil with more evil. Do things in such a way
that everyone can see you are honorable. 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone. 19 Dear friends, never take revenge. Leave that to the righteous
anger of God. For the Scriptures say, “I will take revenge; I will pay them
back,” says the Lord. 20 Instead, “If your enemies are hungry, feed them. If they are thirsty,
give them something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals of
shame on their heads.” 21 Don’t let evil conquer you, but conquer evil by doing good.
Teachers/parents, if
you see a student or your child being a bully, let them know too that they have
someone they can talk to if something is bothering them. Remember most bullies are victims too.
Something physically or mentally is causing them pain, therefore, they lash out
by hurting and attacking someone else.
This lets them release their aggression since they don’t know any other
way of handling their pain. It’s easy to
get angry at the bully since he/she is the aggressor, but remember children
like adults handle their emotions in different ways. Some will strike out with anger while others
will hide and cry.
Ask the bully these questions: Are
you looking for attention? Are you having sibling issues at home? Are you being
picked on and so you’re testing out bullying in school? Do you feel threatened?
Are you looking to move up the social ladder? Are you joining someone else and
doing their dirty work?
You have to get to the bottom, to find
out what the motivation is.
I pray that you surround these children with your love and protection. Help them to feel safe. Allow is family to find peace in knowing that You will protect them. Lord I pray that you help these children that are doing the bullying, help the adults in their lives teach them a better way to live.
In Jesus name I pray, Amen
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