The one place we would think we could go and not be judged, put down, or treated badly is church. In the Bible we are taught that everyone is equal. Jesus saw all people as equal, despite their sins or evil ways. Jesus fed the hungry, healed the blind, and made the lame walk. He never put people down and he never turned his back on anyone. We as Christians should do the same especially in God’s house. Unfortunately bullying happens in the one place where it shouldn’t, church.

Bullying happens in many churches especially small churches. I’ve seen it myself. In many churches there seems to be one person who likes to take control of everything. This person seems to have a following. Other church members want to be on her or his good side, so they conform. By doing this they form a pack against those who stand on their own and pass judgment when they don’t have a right to.

This happened to a woman, I’ll call Sally, who means the world to me. I went to a small country church with this Sally. One bossy lady in the church took control of everything. She also had a group of women who followed her. Sally was a homemaker. Sally spent her life dedicated to raising her children and taking care of her home. The bossy lady and her followers judged her for that. They judged her for the way she dressed, the style of her hair, and much more.

Sally wanted to help revive the Sunday school at this church. The bossy lady agreed but insulted or turned down any of Sally’S ideas and plans. Sally would go to church events and be ignored by the others. Being ignored and left out of social events is another form of bullying. The bullying began to drag Sally down, causing her emotional pain; she and her husband ended up leaving the church. This should never happen anywhere and especially at a church.

Church is where we are supposed to be accepted no matter what. It’s not our job to judge anyone no matter how different they are or even if we don’t agree with their lifestyles. God is the ultimate and only judge. Church is the place we should be able to go and be welcomed with opened arms. Our baggage, our sins, our differences, and so on should be left at the door. Inside church we are God’s children loving each other for who we are inside. God loves each of us equally and treats us the same and so we should do the same.

In churches sometimes you hear rumors. I’ve heard it at church myself. Gossip is a form of bullying. It’s telling information about someone without knowing the facts. Rumors destroy lives because they change and grow as they are passed around. Such as “I heard Jessica is cheating on her husband with an old friend,” becomes “Jessica’s child is not her husband’s; it’s the child of the man she slept with behind her husband’s back” and so on. The truth could be that Jessica just had lunch with an old college friend.

Bullying is a big problem in our churches, society, and in our schools. People should never be treated badly for their differences especially at church. At church we gather as sinners, as beautiful unique people, and as God’s children. Love, acceptance, and kindness should be shared with all. No one person should take charge of things in a church. Each person has the right to take part in all church activities. When you go to church, love each person as God loves each one of his children.

God made each of us different. Not one of us is the same. Our uniqueness is what makes us special individuals. Differences are beautiful and not something to judge. In church, at school, in communities, and at work, embrace everyone’s uniqueness and treat everyone the way you want to be treated, with kindness.

Standing up against all bullying and spreading the word about the harm it causes fills me with pride and helps me bathe in the light of recovery.