Slight could very easily be associated with the act of bullying. A bully selects a weaker person to abuse. The bullied person might be small and inconsiderable in the eyes of the “in crowd.” Often, the victim is slight physically and not physically strong in appearance. That small and vulnerable person is slighted with insults, ignored, and made a social outcast. Tragedy strikes when the abusers totally destroys the victim’s life and desire to live. I know we pray that things could be more fruitful for the children and all those who are bullied and slighted by those who are more powerful.
Being slighted happens to adults at the workplace, children of school age, to people in all sectors of society and of all ages. The effects of bullying can be minimized by the spiritual fruit. I believe it is important to learn that physical appearances and external sources of self-esteem are not something we can rely on. The inner qualities that build character is what really matters. We should learn to seek internal peace and joy amidst the verbal rants that tears a person down. It is mentally and emotionally healthy to build our internal life with the spiritual fruit. As the things of God are slighted in our society, so is the spirit of God within our words and behavior. Standing firm in the spiritual fruit is character.
Christ was initially a small and inconsiderable person of reputation and did not appear to be strongly built physically. Those with powerful authority spoke to him without proper respect and eventually destroyed him physically. The Man Of Sorrows was Bullied. Today, he is the small seed that became a forest. Christ in us realizes that it is not physical appearances, earthly reputation, worldly respect, or our successes that are important; but it is our character through the spiritual fruit that has importance.
Very good post. So timely.
Thanks! It means a lot to sow seed that are helpful.
Extremely comforting insights. We in America place entirely too much emphasis on physical beauty and strength.
What strikes me as odd is that it is not the beautiful and athletic ones that I found myself surrounded by from day to day. It seems that being slighted usually comes from those who we feel we should be better than. It is like the Doberman being slighted by the “Weiner Dog Association” and for some reason there is no appropriate response for the Doberman, unless it finds itself in a game warden pen. Unfortunately, it seems like the more “ugly” we are the more acceptable the “uglies” find us to be. “Ugly” as in character and humane behavior towards others. Thus begins the discussion of spiritual decline.
Hmmmm, I need to run that through the processor.
Thanks for the link.. An amazing post indeed..