By: Christine Agaibi
In the Old Testament, Joseph was considered discerning and wise by the time he reached Pharaoh to interpret his dreams (Genesis 41:39). However, Joseph did not always have such admiration from the people around him. Joseph’s brothers often bullied him as we saw in the first segment of these articles. Despite this he endure with faith always believing he had a grand purpose to fulfill. So what is this bullying that Joseph experienced and many experience to this day? This segment will answer some of these questions and lead into what to do if you recognize you have been bullied or even what to do if you yourself are the bully. Bullying involves an act that is intentional and is meant to cause harm. It is often repeated and involves and imbalance of power. This imbalance can occur from many different perspectives. For example, physical (size) imbalance, age (older picking on younger) imbalance, strength (strong vs. weak) imbalance, numbers (many against one) imbalance, and social status (high status vs. low status) imbalance can all be used in bullying.There are many types of bullying. When one thinks of bullying, images of pushing, hitting, and kicking may come to mind. Certainly physical bullying is one type of bullying. However, verbal bullying, psychological and relationship bullying, and cyberbullying can be just as damaging to the recipient of these bullies. Verbal bullying can be very hurtful because it involves more than the typical physical bruises. Name calling, insults, mocking, teasing, taunting, and making off-color jokes are all part of verbal bullying. In relationship and psychological bullying, the bully uses a relationship to cause harm. For example, excluding someone from a group, talking behind someone’s back, and spreading rumors and lies are all part of being psychologically bullied. Cyberbullying involves spreading rumors, impersonating someone, and threatening someone through social media. This will be covered in a topic by itself because it is a very serious issue in our society today and because we have to consider various things when talking about cyberbullying. With the exception of cyberbullying, Joseph seemed to have experienced every one of these by his brothers. He was mocked, thrown in a pit, and was excluded from the group of his brothers yet he always knew God had a greater purpose for him and he and said to his brother when he reunited with them, “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good.”(Genesis 50:20).
So if you are bullied, whether it is physical, verbal, or relational/psychological, remember that God has a greater purpose for you as well. He loves you and cares for you as He did for Joseph. He feels your pain. Reach out to trustful others and discuss your feelings. It will feel good to get your emotions out. Remember it is NOT your fault and this is not a reflection of who you are as a person. You are a child of God. Remember that things WILL get better in time just do not give up. Create goals for yourself and work hard to achieve them. This will lift your spirits and give you a sense of feeling productive. Learn to be assertive not aggressive and not passive. An assertive person stands up for him/herself but without stepping on anyone else in the process. Most of all remember you are not alone. In the next segment, we will discuss cyberbullying, stats related to cyberbullying, and what to do if you are bullied. Stay tuned for more bullying discussion in the coming weeks.