Tom Kepler

Though the word “bully” doesn’t appear in the Bible, the idea of treating others in a brutish and insolent manner does. The Bible is full of examples of bullying: Saul’s persecution of David in I Samuel, Ahab’s and Jezebel’s threatening of Elijah in the Book of Kings, Saul (also called Paul) and his relentless bullying and persecution of Christians, and, finally, Jesus himself—being bullied, scorned, and persecuted by the religious leaders of the day.

The holidays can be exciting and difficult at the same time, particularly for a Christian who is single. Even though there is a lot of happiness and celebration, loneliness or the need for company can also arise. Here are some pointers for making the most of this season rather than just getting by.

[As seen previously in The Christian Post] When a well-meaning Christian says “God is in control,” they typically mean that God makes things happen, or stops them from happening, at random. But the Bible teaches us that God’s sovereignty is an essential aspect of who He is and that He has absolute authority over all things. “The LORD of hosts has sworn, saying, ‘Surely, as I have thought, so it shall come to pass, and as I have purposed, so it shall stand’” (Isaiah 14:24).