Feeling Picked On?

Are you being picked on by someone? A friend, an enemy, a parent, a spouse, a teacher, a coach, a classmate? Growing up I was very short, in 8th grade I stood a tall 4'9" I was often picked on by taller classmates. Why? Maybe because I was an easy target. Maybe because they could always get me to react. Maybe because they were just cruel. After Jesus was arrested there is a moment when He was picked-on by the guards. They blindfolded Jesus, hit Him, and then asked Him to guess which guard had struck Him (because He was God, He should be able to tell). What did Jesus do? Did He strike them down? Did He hurl insults back? Did He get upset? If you look at Luke 22:63-65 there is something absent. He did nothing. Jesus did nothing. How often can we say we do the same thing when we are picked on. Now it doesn't hurt to tell someone in authority if you are being hurt or abused. In fact you should. Jesus was the authority - He is God. He had the power to hurt them back and didn't. How does this help us. First, God as Jesus was picked on to the point of death. He knows what it's like to be hurt by others. He knows what it feels like. Because of this, He can help. Pray and tell Him your problems. Let Him help you find others who can help stop you from being picked on, laughed at, and hurt. Jesus didn't deserve what He got and neither do you. Notice again I said Jesus did nothing - no violence or insults back. Trust me - trying to hurt the people hurting you gets you nowhere. In fact it usually only makes people angrier and the situation worse. Let God help, let others help. You are not alone.