Stand Up!

by Annette Stonger

Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.

Joshua 1:9

“I’m going to beat you up!” Ashley said.

Maddie stared wide-eyed at the fifth grader sitting next to her on the bus. Ashley had been picking on Maddie all year long.  When she talked to her friends, Ashley glared at her and said,“Shut up, Maddie.”  Sometimes, Ashley even used bad language during the bus ride to and from school.  Even when Maddie said, “Please stop,” she wouldn’t.

Has someone ever picked on you or called you names?  What should you do when you feel threatened by another person?

Maddie was tired of getting pushed around by someone else, so she told Ashley, “I’m going to tell the principal that you threatened me.”

“So what?” Ashley retorted.

Maddie marched into the principal’s office, and he stopped Ashley’s bullying.

Remember the story of David and Goliath?  Goliath bullied the Israelites, God’s chosen people.  He badgered them and begged someone to fight him.  Everyone was afraid except for David because he knew that his God was bigger than this nearly 10 foot tall giant. David killed this bully with only one stone!

Because God is by your side, you can stand up to the giants just like Maddie and David–giants like performing in front of an audience, tests at school, and mean people in your life.