Bullies

God loves all.  No exceptions.

I have a real hard time being a person who shares God's love with folks who bully others.

Let's take Peninnah from this week's Bible reading from 1 Samuel 1:4-20.

I don’t like her. Peninnah treated Hannah cruelly. She provoked her just to irritate her. What she did to Hannah was awful, unkind, unconscionable and simply mean.

Peninnah was jealous. Elkanah was more generous with Hannah than with her. Peninnah acted out that jealousy. But what she did was bullying. It was cruel and unnecessary.

No matter who you are, or where you are on life’s journey . . . you’re welcome here,
God loves everyone – not just the people you like or agree with – EVERYONE.

Oh, but I still have a real difficult time showing kindness and love for folks who bully, manipulate, exploit, ridicule, and abuse others.

I have a real difficult time showing kindness and love for folks who make up lies, distort what other people say, use fear and hate as weapons, call some of God’s children evil and cruel names, and do it all while calling themselves Christian.

“Why don’t you tell us how you really feel, Kirk?”

Some folks look at the relationship between Peninnah and Hannah and said that Peninnah, out of a kindness that is difficult to understand, did what she had to do to keep Hannah praying -  so that Hannah would have a child.

My single word response to that one isn’t appropriate to say. Let me temper it somewhat.

No.

There is no justification for bullying, manipulating, exploiting, ridiculing or abusing anyone.

At all.

Ever.