Spiritual Bullies..Meh..

We all remember Junior High school. For many of us, it was the absolute worst time of our lives. In many ways,we were at our most vulnerable in Junior High. The opposite sex became a reality for us..in ways they had never been before. What we were wearing and how it looked became of utmost importance..for the first time. Physically, we were all somewhat,"ugly ducklings', not in the egg anymore, but certainly not fully developed.And Mentally? forget it! I can look back to Junior High as the time when my insecurities about myself and how I was being portrayed flourished for the very first time. For many of us,this period in our lives was also the beginning of something that began and hasn't ended in our lives. Bullies.  At one time or another, we all have had to deal with a bully. Ugh.

I went to a very tough Junior High on the "wrong side of the tracks". Daily fights were not unheard of, and knives were something to be on alert for..and bullies were plentiful. The world has a way of dealing with bullies. You hit them in the mouth..and you don't stop till someone pulls you off. If you don't you will be bullied daily and very hungry at lunch time due to lack of lunch money. Bullies aren't just physical, they can be verbal and emotional as well. Either way, the scars from these impressionable years we still carry around and profoundly shape us. As we get older, we learn to deal with bullies in a different way,due to the fact, that assault is a felony, and prison is a definite deterrent. As adults, we deal with bullies at work and our social circles. And yes, the world has a way to deal with them too. Here's the thing..as a Christian I should be talking about the bullies in the world and how they need Jesus, blah, blah, blah..But what happens when the bully isn't trying to take your lunch money? What happens when the bully is in the very place that the wounded, scared, beat up people are seeking refuge? What happens when this bully is a self proclaiming Christian? No, they aren't trying to beat you up physically, but the spiritual bullying, experienced by many of the flock has far more devastating effects that any punch in the gut that they could ever receive.

Since Grace has gripped my heart and the Gospel has been opened up to me thru the performance of Jesus on my behalf..I've noticed..that some of the meanest, self-serving, un-loving bullies are within Christendom. Wow. That hurts to say. It hurts because it's true. I have seen Christians attack other Christians with,"chapter and verse', and doctrinal issues. For reasons of  "protecting the Bible", I have seen personal attacks on well meaning and sincere believers, that show and tell me that their reasons are anything but saving the church.Here's the thing. These bullies are some of the biggest cowards I have ever seen. Non-Christian bullies at least make no excuse why they are bullying, and understand that they very well might get hit in the mouth. But this..Spiritual Bullies they not only know this won't happen, they use it to propel their assaults..and what is so sickening is they use the name of my King and insinuate they have His blessing to "clean His Church of heretics." His Church. They hide behind the fact, that if the fellow Christian defends his or her views, they are being very Un-Christian. How convenient.

Now, this isn't Christians that are calling out the "Prosperity Gospel" or Christians that sincerely are calling out a false- Gospel. No, these are Christians, that believe that if any other Christians have any other doctrinal view than theirs..well..you know..heretic..they are "watering down the Word". And look out if this Christian is nice to another Christian who has fallen out of favor or is in controversy, this just proves that,"I am one of the few with the golden ticket." They bully other Christians, with Guerrilla warfare of social media and the like..and it isn't just the public figures of our faith..it is in the local churches..and it breaks my heart.

When you use the Bible as a weapon to produce performance from fellow believers, then shun them because they fail to perform to YOUR standards, and avoid them at all costs, when you finally break them and they leave..this is bullying.This is not Christ. This is not the Gospel..This is a club. This is spiritual Junior High. If you don't wear the right clothes, read the right Bible, do the right things, study-the right way, sing the right songs, baptize the right way, memorize enough, witness enough, parent a certain way, get involved enough, listen to the right spiritual celebrity preachers, hang out with the spiritual people..well..you may not be saved, because you obviously don't love God enough, you love your sin more, you just are not willing, you should be farther along by now, you should know better, you need to conquer your sin, you need to get stronger...so..we are going to shun you, just like we shunned you in between classes  at your locker-Junior High  Bullying!

This is not Christ. This is not the Gospel. This is not John 13:34-35...How do I know this? Because God's Grace freed me from it..and I still have the scars..Christian..I don't have time for bullies..We cannot hit them in the mouth..but we can love them..and as they hurl the assaults?...Walk away and find the fellow ragamuffin who isn't strong enough to walk yet..and give them the Good News.. That God loves them..because of HIS performance, not theirs..and watch the chains fall..I encourage my fellow Ragamuffins to press on...because not too long ago..I was the ragamuffin who wasn't strong enough to walk yet..and your love carried me..and I'm ready to carry now..thanks.."He has come to set the captives free.." Luke 4:18