- Ty Smalley (1998–2010), age 11, was bullied due to being small for his age. Bullies would cram him into lockers and shove him into trash cans. They would also call him names like “Shrimp” and “Tiny Ty”. On May 13, 2010, Ty was cornered in the school gymnasium, and a bully started a fight by pushing him. Normally, Ty would just walk away when a situation like this occurred, but on this occasion, he stood up for himself and pushed back. He and the bully were both sent to the school office. Ty served a three-day suspension, but the bully only served one day of his victim’s suspension. After school that day, Ty died of suicide by shooting himself in the head with his father’s .22 caliber pistol. His story was also told in the 2011 documentary Bully.
- Kenneth Weishuhn (1997–2012), age 14, was a teen who is known for his suicide that raised the national profile on gay bullying and LGBT youth suicides. Weishuhn was allegedly bullied in person, death threats were sent to his mobile phone, and he was the subject of a Facebook hate group. He was targeted for being gay, having come out one month before his suicide. Weishuhn told his mother, Jeannie Chambers, “Mom, you don’t know how it feels to be hated”. The bullying was characterized as “aggressive”, “merciless”, and “overwhelming”. In response to the bullying, Weishuhn took his own life on April 14, 2012. He hanged himself in the family’s garage.
These were taken from Wikipedia, and they are just a couple of the dozens of suicides on the page attributed to bullying. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicides_attributed_to_bullying
This week we’ll go over the sixth commandment. There is only one commandment for this post, because it’s a lot to think about.
(6) — “Thou shalt not kill.” (KJV)
— “You shall not murder.” (NIV)
As previously mentions, this commandment is part of the set that deals with our relationship towards one another, so killing here is in reference to mankind. We’ll cover how we should treat animals in a future post.
This commandment is very simple and straight forward, so you’d think that’s a wrap. However, when we think of killing, we think about physically harming someone, most likely with a weapon, to take their life.
Well let me introduce you to a non physical weapon called the tongue.
Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. — James 3:5-9 (NIV)
What we say to and how we treat one another can also kill. Some people believe that suicide is an unforgivable sin, but the bible does not say that. With the two examples listed above you should understand a reason why: the blood is on the hands of those who bullied and those who did nothing to stop it. Yes, your silence and lack of empathy can also kill.
Likewise, for those of us called by his name, when we are hypocritical, self-righteous, and/or spiritual bigots we can kill other peoples’ path to salvation. When the unredeemed see this, it turns them off and they want nothing to do with God; that blood is on our hands.
When I was a late teen, I was saved, but I was full of myself and a spiritual bigot. I regret many of the interactions I had back then, because they turn so many people off to God. One particular interaction, that started to open my eyes to who I was, was when I was volunteering at a soup kitchen. A couple were sitting down eating, and I went over to sit with them. The first thing I said to them was: “Hi, my name is, and I’d like to talk to you about God”. I was on a mission to tell them about Jesus and they were going to hear it and get saved! I mean that is what we’re supposed to do right?
Well, the man got very upset and said to me: “Boy, I’m sitting here in a soup kitchen, what do I want to hear about God right now?”. His wife/partner, with the gentlest demeaner, put her hand on his and instantly calmed him down. Then she just looked at me with her head slightly tilted and gave me a soft smile.
God was in her smile, and the conviction of her smile, humbled me and put me in my place.
My interaction was so cold, I had no consideration for who they were, or what they were going through. Further, never had I consider that they may already know God. If the interaction would have permanently turned him off to God, his lost soul would have been on my hands. I repented and asked God to please fix all the horrible interactions I created. Also, if I were to ever cross paths with any of those people guide me with his spirit to show Jesus’ love and not my ego.
If you see someone who is not walking according to your standards, beliefs, or views, remember it is neither our job to judge people, nor is it our job to try to change people. Those are jobs for Jesus, as only he can do it; neither you, nor they. Our job/mission, redeemed or not, is to be available and a help to our fellow man. Failure to do so, specifically in their time of need, may result in their blood on our hands.
For those of us called by his name, remember that Jesus sat down and ate with sinners. The main reason for that was to have empathy for them. Are you more righteous than him, that you cannot have compassion and make yourself available? How do you make yourself available? Sit with people (sinner or not) and have empathy: smile and be God’s love in action. So, put your gossiping, bullying, spiritual bigotry, judgment, and lack of empathy aside, least you find blood on your hands when you stand before him on judgment day.
Then the Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” “I don’t know,” he replied. “Am I my brother’s keeper?” — Genesis 4:9 (NIV)
“Am I my brother’s keeper?” YES, yes you are!
As usual, I pray that all is well and all will be well in your lives.
May God bless and keep all who read this.
May God bless and keep all brothers and sisters, new and old, in the faith in his name.
With his love and mine,
Chrom