OZARK, MO — A recent post on Ozark Mo Community Chitchat Facebook page blew up with comments. The anonymous post about an Ozark Junior High girl being bullied by another student brought a barrage of responses in a thread that swelled up like Grape nuts in milk!
Some decried the school for not holding bullies responsible; others chimed in on the need to hold parents accountable. Many disparaged school administration and school board members for doing nothing; others said taking matters into their own hands would remedy the situation where school leaders were impotent.
As the comments swelled and mounted, with dissatisfaction and turmoil growing, and no solution in sight, I thought of a real-world scenario close to me that made all the difference in a school bullying situation.
Here is how an Indiana mom handled her child’s bully: click here.
None of the suggestions from the “Facebook Gestapo” offered the suggestion that happened to make a difference in the real-world situation I will now share:
How a school bully was diffused by a little girl
When my sister Bethany was in elementary school; Brenda, a girl in her class, taunted and teased her day after day.
Our home was a stable, Christian environment, and bullying wasn’t tolerated. Bethany was beside herself.
In tears, she shared her story to Dad. “What should I do?”
Dad thought for a moment and shared a verse from the book of Luke, chapter 6, verses 27-31: “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them. Give to everyone who asks you, and if anyone takes what belongs to you, do not demand it back. Do to others as you would have them do to you.”
He read another Scripture passage: Romans 12:20: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.”
My little sister thought about that one. “What if I give her a shiny red apple with a note?”
Dad smiled. “That might just do it, Bethany!”
The next day, Bethany’s heart pounded as she placed a shiny red apple on Brenda’s desk. She watched from across the room as Brenda arrived and noticed the apple with a handwritten note tucked beneath. Bethany saw Brenda’s eyes widen as she read the note: “Dear Brenda, please accept this apple as a token of my friendship to you. Your friend, Bethany.”
At recess, Brenda slowly approached Bethany on the playground. She hung her head and mumbled, “Thanks for the apple. Do you wanna play jump rope with me?”
Bethany gained a friend that had once been a bully.
Never underestimate the power of a red apple coupled with the golden rule.
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