Valerie Rae Hanneman
Psalm 12:5 (NIV)"Because of the oppression of the weak and the groaning of the needy, I will now arise," says the LORD. "I will protect them from those who malign them."
Steven’s best friend in kindergarten through third grade was Andrew. Those two boys were always together. They played soccer together, T-ball, everything. Andrew was the sweetest little boy, gentle, loving, a great smile. And Andrew was developmentally disabled. That he was attending Cole elementary was a testament to how hard his parents worked with him. I was so proud of my son that he would look past what Andrew was on the outside to see the wonderful little boy on the inside. Most of the rest of the kids at the school were okay with Andrew, but there are always a few – aren’t there always – who take pleasure in picking on a weaker child. One boy in particular was just the bane of Andrew’s existence. He was constantly calling Andrew names meant to hurt him, constantly shoving at Andrew. Steven was always telling me about how the teacher would try to stop this boy from picking on Andrew, but the teacher couldn’t be there every second. I could only advise him to try and keep Andrew away from that bully. But still, the boy would pick, pick, pick. Then I got a phone call from the school. Steven had been in a fight! (My Steven? A fight? No way!) I got to the school and discovered that it had indeed been Steven but it hadn’t really been a fight - it was sort of one sided. My son had had enough of the bully and had warned him to stay away from Andrew - or else. The bully came after Andrew again, calling him names, and my son “or else’ed” him. With one punch, my son decked him flat and, of course, the bully went hysterical. They were both sent to the Principal’s office where the bully was suspended for three days and my son was assigned to one after-school detention (the principal knew what had been going on). I am going to tell you the truth that although I do not advocate school yard violence I have never been more proud of my son than when he took “last resort” steps to protect Andrew.
Andrew had a lot more in common with Steven than I have in common with God. In fact, an amoeba has more in common with Albert Einstein than I have in common with God. But just as Steven recognized Andrew’s weaknesses and looked past them to want Andrew as his friend, God looks past my weaknesses to want me as His friend. Can you believe that? I am a friend of God! How cool is that?
But there is a bully in my schoolyard. satan roams my schoolyard, the earth, seeking whom he might devour. And he likes to pick on me. And worst of all - he knows exactly where my weaknesses are and that is where he aims his painful darts. And he shoves at me too. If I am headed a certain direction, he puts roadblocks up, he manipulates the circumstances around me. He does anything he can to impede me. If I am doing something positive for the Kingdom of God then I can count on satan coming for me. I take a weird sort of satisfaction when I am under satan’s attack because I figure I must be doing something right to tick him off enough for him to come at me. In spite of the weird sort of satisfaction, I can get weary and heart-sore if satan continues to pick, pick, sick and shove, shove, shove. I can’t fight back against him by myself. I am too weak to defend myself from him. I don’t even know how to stand against satan by myself. I might as well be a piece of chaff in a tornado.
The good news is - rather the great news is - I don’t have to stand against this bully by myself. Just as there is a bully on my playground, there is a Friend Who champions my cause, Who stands beside me in the playground. My best friend is God and He loves me. I can stand firm while satan’s picking on me because I know that there is going to come a point when I get too weary and heart-sore and my Friend will say “enough is enough” and He is going to “or else” satan in His own God-like way. Because I cannot fight back by myself, my Friend fights for me. When I am too weak, my Friend is still strong. When I don’t know how, my Friend says, “It’s a done deal”
His promise is that He will never leave us nor forsake us. There will never be an iota of time when He does not stand beside us. When we come under attack by the bully, our Friend is ready to defend us. And satan is always going to lose.
When the bully came back to school he came swaggering up to Andrew, intending to take up where he left off. Steven stepped between them before the boy had a chance to open his mouth and explained what was going to happen if he ever came near or said another word to Andrew. I believe the word “hospital” figured into the conversation. That boy believed Steven was serious (for good reason) and never came near Andrew again. Andrew never had problems with that bully again.
There is a day coming when satan will come swaggering up to us and God is going to step in and say a final “enough is enough.” On that day God is not going to use the word “hospital.” He is going to have in His hand the keys to the bottomless pit and that is where satan is going to go. he will never come near us again and we will never have problems with satan again. That is also God’s promise to us.
When satan comes to bully you, hold fast to God, depend on Him and know beyond a shadow of a doubt that satan’s downfall is coming - and we always win.
Contact Valerie or sign up for the e-Ministry of Fresno First Baptist at valerie@fresnofirst.org
Check out our blog at www.fresnofirst.org - it is under the resources tab.
Posted by Valerie at May 12, 2007 08:11 PM