Having been the favorites of bullies, limbless evangelist Nick Vujicic recently wrote a letter to address the problem of bullying and call for Christians to take a stand.
Vujicic, whose son Kiyoshi was born last month, said that he has two main objectives in his ministry. The first is evangelism, spreading the good news of Jesus Christ, and the other is speaking out against bullying. He urged for people to end bullying and embrace the victims with arms of love.
In the letter, the 30-year-old father said that he has learned to ignore hurtful comments in adulthood, but when he was in grade school he was constantly taunted by his classmates. What was worse is that few stood up for him.
Vujicic said his experience with bullies left him feeling intimidated, depressed, anxious and sick to his stomach. Most of his school days ended in tears and on one occasion led him to a failed suicide attempt. He said he didn’t tell his parents because he thought he could handle it by himself, but realized later that he should have told them.
Vujicic said that bullying is a global issue that doesn’t just happen in America. He said one doesn’t have to be disabled to experience gossips, teasing, and slander. He said that healthy 16-year-old girls respond drastically when their peers comment on their appearances. There is a growing trend that girls cut themselves when peer pressure becomes overbearing. Sometimes, relentless teasing from a bully convinces a teenage boy to take his life.
In recent years, shootings that take place in schools and movie theatres are too common. Often, the shooter is a victim of bullying, who decided to seek revenge by gunning down innocent targets; it is a vicious cycle where the bully’s victim becomes a bully himself.
The limbless motivational speaker said that many victims don’t have loving parents, no allies, or anyone to come to their rescue. They don’t know how to turn to.
While he applaud the efforts by the local, state, and national government for enacting legislations against bullying, Vujicic called for Christians to step up and become the advocate for victims.
“It is our obligation. It’s our role to defend the defenseless!” he wrote.
Referring to Jesus as the perfect example to respond to bullies, Vujicic said that while Christ was reviled by bullies, He never lashed out, stooping to their level. Yet, he dealt with them from a platform of love and redemption.
As a new father, Vujicic said he will serve as a champion defender for his son, he cannot isolate him in a protective bubble. In order to prepare him, he will spent plenty of time coaching his son on how to neutralize the comments from an angry peer.
“It’s not the government’s job alone,” he pointed out. The anti-bullying campaign starts in the home with loving parents, said Vujicic, and should be cultivated by churches that educate families and propagate the love of Jesus.
Quoting Matthew 5:14, 16, Vujicic said that as followers of Jesus Christ, we are called to be light of the world.
“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven,” he said.
