Bullies in the Playground

Hello... this is James and it's good to be with you again...

When I was a child, I thought as a child and behaved as a child would.  I accepted pain and suffering as being a part of the life I lived.  My parents taught me to be passive, defensive, and mild mannered.  This worked okay at home, but not interactively at school or during early work years. There were always “bullies” and every one of them had a commitment to beat up on kids like me. They gave me the impression of being born to hate, when all I wanted, was to give them a hug and to befriend them.

In the high school "quadrangle", where most disputes or grievances between students were settled, there were plenty of physical altercations.  Many of these were merely push and shove, but occasionally they were more serious.  I remember one antagonist nicknamed “Brutus” who kept hounding me for a fight, because presumably he just didn’t like me.  I knew that I was in for a bad time if I gave way to his provocation.  Eventually, most of the school students knew about this potential clash and I foolishly succumbed to social pressure.

Dealing with “Brutus” was like finally having a rotten tooth removed from my mouth. Pain and fear would be alleviated for a while.  After school, at a time and place I could not avoid, this merciless “bully” did what he did best.  He pummelled a weak and vulnerable unprepared, skinny kid who only wanted peace and friendship. My cheek bone was broken and I was totally humiliated, but God restored me to a place of hope and strength.

I had worked on a theory of social behaviour, which involved a congenial approach to all people, no-matter who they were.  A few reprobate bullies did harm to me, but generally my theory was proven correct during school and early employment as a survey technician. As I smiled and laughed, friendly people would gravitate towards me in a cordial way and angry people would generally pass me by, taking their anger elsewhere.  I now realise there was a strong element of grovelling appeasement applied on my part in all of this strategy.  “Don’t poke the bear…” and “Let sleeping dogs lie…” kind of thinking was a main component of my survival kit.

As I grew older though, the “bullies” were still ever present, but they became more devious and “snakelike” in their approach. Their malicious intent was not so direct and obvious, neither were their ways outwardly threatening in a physical sense.  However, I was pretty sure they hung around me in the shadows, waiting for their moment. I was defensive, but not paranoid and became more assertive as I carried out my duties of employment. Attempts to break my personality and sanity were thwarted. However, I could no longer just smile and laugh my way clear of danger as I had attempted within a school environment.

Then, I was born again; filled with the Spirit of the Living God and this changed everything in my life.  I now trust the Living God without fear; without doubt; and without cynicism.  I know that Jesus Christ, (Yeshua) is LORD.  I am now, born of the Spirit and submitted to God.  In this way I resist the devil, (Satan) and he flees from me.  Jesus wrought victory on the Cross of Salvation so all Nations could be freed from the “bullying” works of Satan and the curse of sin and death.

Scripture Reference: Ephesians 2 : 8-9

For by grace [of God] you have been saved through faith [in Jesus Christ], and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast [in their own ability].

Scripture Reference: James 4 : 6-7

But He [God] gives more grace. Therefore He says:

"God resists the proud,

But gives grace to the humble."

Therefore submit to God.

Resist the devil [Satan] and he will flee from you.

An attack, (October 7, 2023) on Israeli civilians by Palestine’s ruling government of "Hamas", led to a new war being fought in the Middle East region of the World.  This war is between Israel Defence Forces, (IDF) and “Hamas”. Even so, much of the World’s media and “Hamas” itself, would have us all believe that Israel’s participation is not just retaliatory against “Hamas”, but aimed directly at Palestinian civilians within the Gaza strip. This is not true, but becomes a little difficult to refute when Media sources are publishing skewed Gazan reports, issued only by “Hamas”.

During ongoing conflict and attempts at reconciliation, many peace plans between Israel and Palestine have been broken.  Recycling of the disputed land has occurred many times as claimants renegotiate terms of settlement.  However, no state or nation, whether Arabic or Jewish, was ever formally recognised over the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, before the 1948 inauguration of Israel [This is because the Living God had, long before, promised the Land to the Jewish people of Israel].

Israel and Palestine are like two feuding brothers from the same household of the Living God and somehow, they remain unaware of their true relationship in the Spirit. They wrestled inexorably throughout millennia within the “quadrangle” of Middle Eastern lands and corresponding Governments… never completely eradicating the “bullies” that positioned themselves politically, to steal, to kill, and to destroy.

Over the years, Israel and Palestine have apportioned varying degrees of blame and retaliatory measures against one another as they continued to dispute land holdings and past grievances. Because of this established way of dealing with disagreements, Satan’s “bully” terrorist group “Hamas” has been able to gain rights within Palestine to rule politically and militarily.  With support from neighbouring hostile regimes, this has given rise to much pain and suffering being poured out on both Israel and Palestine who, (IMHO) should be one State and not two, resisting the One Living God of Faith, Hope, Love.

Following the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, “Hamas” has confirmed its ability to carry out heinously barbaric acts against innocent civilians: personifying Satan’s unbounded hatred of Israel… and Palestine.  Satan will do all he can to entice and sign up "bullies" of the World, to sabotage peace treaties and negotiations in the Middle East region or anywhere else on Earth, but...

"...let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."

Justice returns to rule the Nations !

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