Bullying

http://www.examiner.com/tv-in-national/it-gets-better-video
http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/sexandgender/3479/why_anti-gay_bullying_is_a_theological_issue/

There's been a lot of talk lately about how bullying is negatively impacting LGBT youth - 4 suicides in the last month. I've read the blog posts and seen the videos, and I have a point of my own to make. What is the relational way to deal with this issue?
Hugh Hollowell, someone I respect deeply, ministers to homeless people through building relationships. When he is asked how to handle an encounter with a homeless person, his response is to do the most relational thing you can think of. Don't just buy a meal, eat the meal with that person, etc. And I think that might be what's missing in all the uproar about bullying. What is the relational way to deal with this?

Bullying is not just a LGBT issue. The two boys who shot up Columbine High School were victims of bullying. Bullying affects all our kids, and we can't just lean on the government or the pulpit or nonprofits to resolve the issue. We need to take relational action - personal action. Bullies are not kids who are living happy, well-adjusted lives. They are in pain as well. I'm not a mom, but I always thought that if I were, and my kid were being bullied, I would work to build a relationship with the bully's parents. I would try to take action to help the bully, as well as protecting my kid.

So yes, let's pray for change. Let's teach our kids how to stand up to bullies. Let's encourage acceptance and tolerance of people who are different in any and all ways (wearing glasses, being smart, being LGBT, wearing out of style clothes, liking classical music, etc.). But let's not just focus on institutional change as our salvation. We need to be part of the solution, in a deeply personal way. We need to build relationships - figure out why kids become bullies and try to mentor those kids.

I may be completely off base - mothers, feel free to correct me. But I think the issue of bullying must be addressed personally and relationally. No amount of laws, preaching, or non-profits (no matter how helpful they may be) will stop the problem if we as individuals do not take personal action in prayer and relationship.