LIVING AS CHRISTIANS: Week of September 18 to 24, 2023, “If they bully you, lean on Jehovah”, Video: When you are a teenager: What do I do if they bully me?, Analysis and Responses.

LIVING AS CHRISTIANS: September 18-24, 2023, “If they bully you, lean on Jehovah”, Video: When you are a teenager: What do I do if they bully me?, Analysis and Responses.

“If they bully you, lean on Jehovah” (15 mins.): Analysis with the audience and video.

What can young people learn from Charlie and Ferin's example?

For example, they can learn the importance of asking for help, and having communication with their parents, since they can tell them about the difficulties they are going through, and they can also learn that it is important to stay away from people who want to harm us, and of course we should not Neglect prayer for no reason, because Jehovah is our friend and is always ready to listen to us.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Young people, when going through a situation like this, can also talk to the elderly, since they will be in charge of encouraging them a lot. They must also remember that we should not return evil for evil to anyone, so when someone bothers us we should simply walk away and not take revenge. for no reason.

And something that young people also learn is that they can seek help in the publications that Jehovah gives us, for example they have the book, "Young People Ask", which has many ideas and advice that will greatly help our brothers. youths.

They can learn that they should ask for help when they are victims of bullying. And especially when the attacks become frequent, or when negative thoughts begin to awaken in them.

They can also learn that they should lean on their parents and tell them what is happening to them, especially if they are being victims of bullying.

Additionally, young people learn the importance of having good communication with their parents. And that they should tell them early about the difficulties they face. Especially if it involves bullying.

Something else you can learn is that when you feel pressured, distressed or harassed, instead of filling your mind with negative or destructive thoughts, it is best to turn to prayer and ask for help from Jehovah who is always ready to listen and run in. help from those who do not need it.

Also, the fact that they are victims of bullying does not mean that they are useless, weak, that everyone hates them, that no one cares about them or that they are a hindrance to others. On the contrary, they should understand that these are the tactics that bullies use to weaken them mentally and emotionally. Therefore, moving away and not feeding negative thoughts is a practical measure to overcome bullying.

Young people can learn that they should ask for help and talk to someone they trust. Especially with Jehovah in prayer. Ferin prayed before, during and after classes and even looked for quiet places to pray like the library. That calmed her down and helped her hold on.

Something important that they can also learn is that they should tell their parents what is happening to them, because they are there to listen to them with attention, understanding and love.

In the video we could see the importance of taking practical measures against bullying. Charlie, for example, changed locker and when he saw the bullies coming he would walk away. This way he didn't give them a chance to hurt him.

Young people can learn that protecting themselves and staying away from bullies instead of hitting them back or wanting revenge on them is a sign of spiritual maturity and speaks of how strong they are in this sense, because they do not let themselves be carried away by their emotions. That was exactly what Charlie demonstrated. Furthermore, developing this attitude of self-confidence helped him a lot to stop feeling afraid.

They can also learn that seeking Jehovah's guidance and comfort in these situations is vital. Reading and meditating on texts such as Proverbs 27:12, 1 Thessalonians 517, Romans 12:17 and Proverbs 15:1 will help you see the situation in its proper dimension and handle the matter in a balanced way. In addition, their faith will be strengthened, helping us to see that Jehovah is always there to help them.

Young people can also learn that bullying should not be ignored by simply doing nothing, as this can make the problem worse. They may also learn that it is best to tell someone they trust, such as a friend, a mature brother in the congregation, or the elders. They should also tell their parents and especially Jehovah, since everyone is capable of giving them good advice.

And finally, another thing that young people learn is that there are valuable tips or ideas that can be very useful in the face of bullying in books like "Young People Ask" from jw.org.

What can parents learn from this video?

Parents can learn how important it is that their children trust them enough to tell them what is happening to them, and they also learn that they should listen to their children carefully and treat them with affection.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

They can also learn to listen and believe in their children, since it is essential that parents listen to their children when they tell them about bullying situations. Believing in them and taking their concerns seriously provides them with the necessary emotional support.

They can also learn to have open communication with their children, since open and honest communication with their children is key. Likewise, they can learn that they should create a safe environment where their children feel comfortable sharing their experiences and concerns.

Another thing that parents learn is that it is important to support their children emotionally by letting them know that they are not alone. This helps them build their confidence and deal with bullying effectively.

It is of utmost importance that parents learn to teach their children skills and help them cultivate qualities to deal with bullying. Such as assertive communication, conflict resolution and building self-esteem. In this way, they will understand that strong and brave people are those who react with wisdom and gentleness and not with violence and revenge.

Parents can learn that in this situation they are not alone. They can rely on Jehovah through prayer and the Bible, as well as on the elders of the congregation.

Something very important that Parents can learn is that an excellent way to help our children against bullying is by strengthening them with Biblical texts, such as those mentioned in the video, and also through jw.org publications and articles. .

VIDEO TRANSCRIPT

CHARLIE (United States)

Well, they started bullying me in Physical Education class, there was a boy in the locker room who had a locker very close to mine, who suddenly started bothering me by saying things to me.

FERIN (United States)

I was bullied a little bit in primary school, but it wasn't anything serious, it was just nonsense. But when I was about 12 years old it got stronger. I felt bad for what they were doing to me, I wondered if maybe I was the one doing something wrong, I didn't understand why they were attacking me.

CHARLIE (United States)

He wouldn't leave me alone, he started sending me messages where he insulted me, telling me that I was stupid, that I was weak, that no one cared, that I was of no use. And when he found out that I am a Witness, things got even worse.

FERIN (United States)

It happened to me many times, but I remember one day that was terrible, first in class there was a girl talking to another girl about me to my face, and it was lies, and then in the dining room they continued to bother me. And I thought this is how it will always be, I will not have a single friend, I will be alone all the time, because absolutely no one likes me, because everyone hates me. That was the worst day.

CHARLIE (United States)

There came a time when I truly felt like I was of no use. Every time I began to believe more and more that I was a weak person and that no one was going to defend me, because no one cared and because I was just a hindrance to everyone else, hearing those things every day, it hurt me a lot. mental and emotional health. And after all those attacks there came a time when I hit rock bottom and started having very, very negative thoughts. I realized I couldn't let this go on like this. So at that moment I decided to ask for help.

FERIN (United States)

I always tell my parents everything and that day I told them everything that happened. They always read the Bible to me and they read Proverbs 27:12 to me. So when I saw those girls coming I would leave, I would avoid them completely. Another thing I always did was pray, I prayed all the time every day before classes, during classes, after classes, there were times when I went to the library to read to be there calmly, without anyone bothering me and there I also took advantage to pray and I felt that Jehovah was my friend who could tell him what was happening to me, who listened to me. 

CHARLIE (United States)

I decided to tell my parents about the problem, and they listened to me carefully, they let me express myself and treated me with affection, they showed me that they loved me and something else I did was talk to the elders, they encouraged me a lot and assured me that not only I was in a place where they needed me, but in a place where they loved me, I also took practical measures, I changed locker and when he came to bother me, I simply left. In order not to retaliate I had to be strong, if he had done it, I would have been weak because whoever takes revenge lets himself be carried away by his emotions. He was finally punished and during the days that he didn't come to school, I had a bit of a pass, but he came back a week later and started bothering me again. I realized that he hadn't changed at all,

FERIN (United States)

All those ideas and all those Biblical texts, that you find in books like "Young People Ask" and in other publications, really work, and you can see how the situation calms down, it is no longer bad like before, and you can handle it or it stops for a while. complete. Seeing that really strengthens your faith, it helped me feel even more confident that Jehovah. He is always there to help me. 

CHARLIE (United States)

Talk to someone, don't dwell on it, because it is not a problem that is going to disappear, if you ignore it, if you don't say anything, the problem will get worse, tell a friend, your parents, someone in the congregation what is happening to you, to Jehovah. Because if you don't know what to do, they will help you with good advice, you will feel that Jehovah does care about you, that he cares about you, you will see that Jehovah is a true friend.

What can help you if you are bullied at school?

Avoid danger

Proverbs 27:12.

Pray constantly

1 Thessalonians 5:17.

Don't get even 

Romans 12:17.