Did you know that Princess Kate Middleton, Tom Cruise, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, and Jesus were all bullied?

Back in Jesus’ day, the Jews were fearful of the Roman soldiers. Romans were confiscating the land, food was scarce, and taxes were up to 80 to 90%. When the Jews protested the heavy tax burden, the Romans killed 6000 Jews! They were feeding the Jews to the lions for entertainment. The Jews faced many bullies, such as the Egyptians, the Assyrians, the Babylonians, and, of course, the Romans. They wanted freedom from oppression and freedom from governmental bullies. In the Bible, the Old Testament was all about war and conquering the enemy, but then Jesus brought the Kingdom of Heaven to earth with his radical agenda contrary to anything described in the Old Testament, teaching his people to love their enemies!

Matthew 5:43-45 states, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”

During this episode, Lee Ann elaborates on these seven pointers to assist you in helping your child win over a bully:

1. Be kind and don’t engage negatively or try to get even with them; instead, try to diffuse the situation by talking nicely to them.
2. Teach your children that the bully is looking for them to engage and want to feel superior in front of their friends – it may not be personal against them, and maybe they are just an easy target.
3. Help your child see the bully as a person who is hurting and needs grace and mercy.
4. If your child has the gift of humor, tell them to reply with humor to try to defuse the situation or even agree with the bully’s statement to take the sting out of the words the bully uses as a weapon.
5. Invite them to your house with your friends for a playdate or try to include them at school – maybe they are lonely and sad.
6. Help your child understand that sometimes nothing you do will transform a bully – after all, Jesus was crucified by a mob of bullies whom he tried desperately to show love and compassion to.
7. Prayer is vital and essential – pray for the bully with your child.

Resources: “Helping Kids Deal with Bullies” by Focus on the Family & “Know A Child Being Bullied? 5 Steps To Take Right Now” by The Ministry Dad.

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