It is uncertain, but it is estimated that 25% of all suicide cases were caused by some form of bullying. Bullying can range from blatant name calling and physical abuse to simple just leaving someone out. The phrase "sticks and stones my break my bones but words can never hurt me" is one of the most untrue statements I've ever heard. True, they don't cause physical damage. But the mental and emotional scars they create can be deadly in the long run. To a kid who has no friends and feels isolated by his family, picking him last for a game of soccer in gym class can ruin him. The feeling of not being wanted can turn into long-lasting problems for other relationships.
Bullying isn't just done to or by kids either. It's easy to bully coworkers. Talking behind their backs and cutting them down can wear down their striving to succeed. When we make cutting remarks, even in a joking tone and light-hearted manner, it still resonates with some truth with the victim. It is easy to hate people. But the sad fact is, is that, those people we hate probably also hate themselves. It is difficult to have a healthy high view of your self when the people around you cut you down every time you pick yourself up.
Bullying isn't done just by kids to kids or by adults to adults. So many times a day I hear students tear down teachers and deny their authority. This level of disrespect is bullying. If an adult is given authority, then they obviously deserve it even though the people below them might not agree. However, this gives adults no reason to talk down to kids. Abusive parents, ignorant teachers, and other adults have great influence in the lives of children and don't realize it most of the time. The things they do and say stick with them forever. They help shape how those kids view life and how they want to shape theirs.
Yes, I have been a victim of bullying. Had I not had the support of my family and faith in Christ, my life probably would have been different. Or nonexistent by now. My religion was made fun of, my looks were criticized, my family was insulted, and no one reached out. I'm not writing this to tell my story. It's irrelevant to the greater picture.
My point is this: bullying needs to stop. I'm tired of seeing my students bullied, my brother torn down, and my parents' authority undermined. I'm tired of the media shoving images and expectations into our heads that are ridiculous and just plain unnecessary. I'm tired of hearing stories and seeing videos posted about kids who want to take their lives because they are tired of dealing with it. How absolutely wonderful would the world be if everyone stopped making fun, abusing, and insulting one another? What would happen if people stood up for others? What would happen if instead of insulting each other, people actually started encouraging? How great would that be? How unattainable is that? It's not impossible at all. I'm not saying that I'm perfect and don't bully. I know I do. I'm human. But that doesn't mean I can't make it my goal to make a change for the better. So, that's what I'm going to do and I challenge whoever reads this to do the same.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
-Ephesians 5:22-23
But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.
-2 Peter 1:5-7
No comments:
Post a Comment