Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle.  Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat. 1 Samuel 1:7

Bullies are nothing new.  Would you believe there are bullies in the Bible?

If you’ve experienced being bullied, you’re in good company.  Two stories in the Bible show us that God sees, hears and cares about those who have been bullied.

Hannah was one of a man’s two wives—something that was tolerated, but never approved of by God. Hannah was bullied–taunted to the point of tears by the “other wife” because she was childless. But Hannah turned in anguished prayer to God. God heard her and gave her a son who was used mightily by God (1 Samuel 1).

Daniel was a young man who’d been abducted by a conquering army.  He was smart, handsome and determined to keep living the way God told him to in this new land. He was successful and was hated for it!  Enter, the jealous bullies who plotted to get rid of Daniel they only way they could think of–convince the king that the penalty for praying to anyone except the king would be to be thrown to the lions. Daniel kept praying to God, and into the lion pit he went. But God heard those prayers and rescued Daniel. The bullies themselves were thrown to the lions and God was worshipped throughout the land.

The Bible lists things God hates: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent, a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong, a false witness who pours out lies and a person who sows discord in a family (Proverbs 6:16-19).  You can be sure that God will deal with a bully.

 

Resource reading: Proverbs 6:16-19