We are calling a bully anyone or anything that carries us away from a life of strength and power and freedom.
I have recently been engaged in a word fight with a handful of people who tried to paint my belief system into a picture it is not.
It seems the worst kind of bullying to present others in a false light. Our beliefs shine through our words and our actions, and twisting them into something they are not plants seeds of doubt into onlookers.
The strength and power and freedom of the Gospel lies in its Truth. When a Christ-follower lives out Truth, Scripture promises opposition.
When the opposition enters from the unbelieving world, it is expected. When it comes from inside believers, it is distracting, confrontational and unattractive to the watching, unbelieving world. It gives unbelievers new ammunition for their accusations that believers mistreat each other. Why would they want to be a part of that?
There is a better way to help each other as believers. We don't have to bully. We can listen. We can treat each other as fellow travelers, journeying together, comparing what we are learning.
The point of fellowship among believers is to strengthen each other so our message to the world is one of unity...and something to which this world would be drawn.
Is it true that the real desire of the playground bully is to have and be a friend? Let's treat fellow believers as friends.
Tomorrow: the bully of emotional confusion
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