Remember that saying we used to throw out as kids? Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me. Try as we might, repeating those words while hoping to look or sound tough, doesn’t always work. Truth is, when people say mean things…it hurts.
You might not as easily recall a prophet by the name of Elisha. Apparently, he was bald. One day, a gang of kids were following and harrassing him while he was out walking. This man of God, did something you and I might not consider actually “godly”, but all the same, here’s how the story goes:
Elisha left Jericho and went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, a group of boys from the town began mocking and making fun of him. “Go away, baldy!” they chanted. “Go away, baldy!”
Elisha turned around and looked at them, and he cursed them in the name of the LORD. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of them. (2 Kings 2:23-24)
Wow. Um…that’s definitely a way to handle it. All that said, there’s two things we could say we learn here. 1) Gangs are not new, and 2) you might want to be careful who you tease or call names! Jus’ sayin’.
So from here on out, here are my thots:
Sticks and stones may break my bones, but call me names and I’ll sick the bears on you. HA! Jus’ kiddin’. Ok, well maybe not. 🙂
Just my thoughts. Yours?
S.
