You don’t have to be very old to encounter a bully in life. It could be a kid on the playground or in your neighborhood. It could be someone using social media to bully you. The workplace is another environment where people often feel like they are being bullied.
Maybe you are in a situation right now where someone is bullying you. What should you do?
In our story of Jeremiah, he was being bullied by the false prophet, Hananiah. Hananiah had given a false word to the people, which was countered by the true prophet Jeremiah. Hananiah now began to bully Jeremiah. Jeremiah had worn a yoke into the temple as an object lesson for the people.
10 Then Hananiah the prophet took the yoke off Jeremiah’s neck and broke it in pieces. 11 And Hananiah said again to the crowd that had gathered, “This is what the Lord says: ‘Just as this yoke has been broken, within two years I will break the yoke of oppression from all the nations now subject to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.’ ” With that, Jeremiah left the Temple area. [1] Jeremiah 28:10-11.
Notice how Jeremiah responded to Hananiah, the bully. He left temple. He did not get mad, although what happened to him was probably painful. He did not respond in kind, but simply walked away. Jeremiah acted much like what the Lord calls us to do in the Bible. Mark 12:31 says, “Love your neighbor as yourself.’ No other commandment is greater than these.” [2] Luke 6:31 also says, “Do to others as you would like them to do to you. [3] Again, this is what we see Jeremiah doing.
Another thing we can do to help us when we are being bullied is to reflect on God’s word such as Psalm 139:13-18. The first two verses give us amazing insight what God thinks of us. 13 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it. [4] Psalms 339:13-14.
Do not let the lies that bullies tell you, influence what you think about yourself. What God says about you is the truth. He loves you and cherishes you because you are made in His image. Wow! When we start thinking about what God says, it encourages us, lifts us up, and speaks truth into our life. When we think about these things it changes how we see ourselves.
If you are being bullied today, seek out the Lord for wisdom, encouragement, and guidance.
To hear the story of Jeremiah, listen here:
If you would like more teaching on Jeremiah listen here:
[1, 2, 3, 4] Tyndale House Publishers. (2015). Holy Bible: New Living Translation (Jeremiah 28:10–11, Mark 12:31, Luke 6:31, Psalm 139:13-14). Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.