Summer is over for the children in Southern Indiana. School started yesterday, the end of July. Yes, really that early. My oldest grands, twin girls, are already in sixth grade. They have grown into lovely young women. My grandsons are both riding the bus to school. One is in third grade and the other begins Kindergarten. Such big boys they both are. Our Kindergartener is a sweet, cheerful, happy special needs boy named Isaac. His big brother is Isaac’s biggest fan.
As Isaac starts school I can only hope and pray he won’t be teased and bullied. The same with my older grandson, Alex. My prayers are that he isn’t bullied. Isaac might not fully understand why kids bully him, but his big brother will. His heart will be broken that someone is being mean to his little brother. 
Alex has a sensitive spirit and cannot understand why people are want to intentionally hurt. He only wants to protect and love. His heart breaks when he sees someone or some animal hurting. Once when we were talking about bullying he told me “I hate it. It makes no sense at all.” I agree, my sweet grandson. Totally.
No one is exempt from bullying. Kids can be bullied for a variety of things. Home life, grades, illness, having an impediment, a disorder, wearing glasses, or “just because” are some of the reasons given for bullying another. Jealousy and greed are two others. Even adults continue the bullying with politics and religious views. It needs to stop.
Were you ever bullied? Are you now? In school I was. A lot. Elementary through High School. There were three reasons that I was bullied although back then they called it teased. I was overweight, wore glasses, and raised in a single parent home. My Daddy died when I was twelve and I was bullied because I had no father. Kids can be mean, cruel actually. The good news is that I lived through it and I survived. Unfortunately we hear about many kids that don’t want to continue life because of it.
Have you talked to the children in your circle, really talked to them, about how to treat others? There is no shame in being different or weak. Some things in life happen that hurt without having others continue to remind us of them. Enough already! Everyone has problems. In actuality bullies are the ones with bigger issues. They tease, knock down, and mock to make themselves look better. Self esteem is what they lack and confidence, most likely love, too. Isn’t it unfortunate that bullies need to make others feel bad in order to feel good about themselves?
Bullying is a serious thing not only from a physical aspect but mental and emotional, too. Those words and wounds can stick with people for years. I still remember the majority of names I was called and things said to me. Oh, but I can also remember my friends, my true friends, coming to my aid and giving me support.
Join me in praying for the sweet innocents that need sheltering from being bullied. Pray for a shield of protection around them. We also need to pray for the big old bullies, too. They need help. Bullies have gotten way off of track and need help getting back on. Let’s pray for them, too.
School should be filled with learning, fun, giggles, friends, and carefree times. It shouldn’t be a time of dread, gloom, frowns and heartache.
We can lead by example. Let the kids hear positive, nice words from us. They mimic what they see and hear. Teach them to be a friend and helper not a bully. This is a lesson for life.
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.” Matt. 5:11 ESV
“Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.”
Psalm 82:4 ESV
“There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Prov. 12:18 ESV
Abba's Prayer Warrior Princess 