(Chapter 44) God so Loved the World that He Gave His Son:

God so Loved the World that He Gave His Son: The greatest Spiritual battle ever fought – part thirty eight

My heart is heavy tonight as I begin to write my blog for tomorrow’s release. As many of you already know, there was a mass school shooting today in Perry, Iowa. Our thoughts and prayers certainly go out to the students and families involved. When this takes place in a small town right here in Iowa, it just seems closer and more personal, than hearing about a tragedy like this in some other town in a distant state. But it’s not different! It’s real people having their lives altered forever, no matter where it occurs. I find myself searching for words to express how I feel. Bullying is proven to be at the heart of many of these school shootings. All I can say is, “bullying, for any reason, is just plain wrong!” But it happens!

John 16:33 (NIV)
³³ “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

I’m reminded of a young boy, years ago, who was bullied in school. He was a skinny kid who wore glasses and wasn’t athletic or popular with the “In Crowd.”  The bullies would often try to pick fights with him, I presume, because he was an easy target. He couldn’t understand why this was happening. All he wanted was to be accepted and get along with everyone. You may have guessed by now… that skinny (bean pole), spectacled (four eyes) boy was me. So when I say bullying for any reason, is just plain wrong, I do know what I’m talking about! I am now 78 years old, and I can still feel the anguish of those years! The Lord has helped me push through to where I can now forgive and pray for them.

Matthew 5:43-46 (NIV)
⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?

I have a cousin who lives about half a mile from the school where the shooting took place in Perry. He told us that bullying has been a persistent problem in the Perry school system, and families have actually left town because of bullying. That was certainly confirmed by an article that I found from Associated Press News. Here is an excerpt from that article exactly as it appeared in the Associated Press. Keep in mind, these girls were still shook-up and were not thinking about proper English and sentence structure. I believe you’ll get their point:

Sisters Yesenia Roeder and Khamya Hall, both 17, said alongside their mother, Alita, that Butler (the shooter) was bullied relentlessly since elementary school, but it escalated recently when his younger sister started getting picked on, too. Officials at the school didn’t intervene, they said, and that was “the last straw” for Butler. “He was hurting. He got tired. He got tired of the bullying. He got tired of the harassment,” Yesenia Roeder Hall, 17, said. “Was it a smart idea to shoot up the school? No. God, no.”

Folks… this is a symptom of the spiritual battle taking place in our world! Our enemy, the devil, is out to ruin everybody that he can. He does so by pitting person against person, and group against group. He wants to destroy everyone possible. Our part in this battle is to read His Word, (the Bible,) and PRAY, PRAY, PRAY!!!! Speak out against bullying! Advocate for help for those being bullied, and insist on counseling/action taken for those doing the bullying! Do not ignore it!

1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)
⁸ Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

Believe me when I say the Lord is aware of the battle and He promises in His Word to care for those who are weary from the constant warfare with the devil!

Psalm 34:14-19 (NIV)
¹⁴ Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. ¹⁵ The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry; ¹⁶ the face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth.¹⁷ The righteous cry out, and the LORD hears them; he delivers them from all their troubles.