Article May 6, 2013 Issue

Fight bullying with prayer

Karl Garrett

At my school there has been a big problem, and maybe it’s at your school, too. It’s called bullying. Some people at my school bullied a girl and even created a “hate club” about her. The situation got so bad her parents even took her out of school, and she appeared on national television to talk about her experience. Because of this, my whole school district has been holding more anti-bullying assemblies and campaigns in an effort to try to discourage bullying. These programs can help people learn to treat each other with more respect. However, a spiritual approach is something that isn’t really covered in school, but I believe it’s important to have it in the picture. So I have written this article to contribute a spiritual, prayerful approach.

I’ve realized that probably one of the biggest “bullies” in the Bible’s New Testament is Saul (see Acts 9:1–20). He persecuted and hunted down the followers of Jesus, either killing them or sending them to prison. This all changed when one day, on his way to Damascus, he was surrounded by a light from heaven: “And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” (“Kick against the pricks” was old-fashioned farming language, and a way of saying that Saul, like a stubborn ox, had been rebelling against God.)

Saul was then directed to continue on to the city. When he arose, Saul found he was blind and had to be led by the people who were traveling with him. He didn’t drink or eat for three days. A disciple named Ananias went to Saul and restored his sight. Saul then began preaching about the Christ. 