Over at Titus 2 at The Well , Laurie is talking about “mean girls”. Here are her questions.
Questions to consider:
#1 What do we do when we come across a mean girl?
#2 As a Titus 2 woman, how can we raise our daughters to not be a mean girl?
#3 Looking back, can you remember a time that you were a victim of a mean girl… how did you overcome?
#4 Looking back, can you remember a time that you WERE a mean girl… what changed you?
My answer, when I was unsaved I acted like a heathen, and even as saved if I give in to the flesh I can still act like a heathen if I don’t exercise self-control. I think in the world of self esteem teachings the character trait of self-control has been lost. We think even as Christians we can do and say anything, and I will add wear anything and watch anything. There is no responsibility taught anymore. Well it is true one thing leads to another and if you walk in the flesh you will step in doo doo. And if you sow flesh you will reap flesh, and if you live by the sword you will die by the sword. and if you esteem yourself you are putting everyone else down and I see way too much of that and frankly it is ugly.
There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.Proverbs 6:16-19
Right at the top of that list is haughtiness. I have one comment about being haughty, don’t do it.
So what changed me from being a mean girl? Jesus. And the only time I say anything harsh is to save some one’s life. Because I love them.
Wow, that was a great article over At the Well. Even though I’ve been home-schooled, I’ve experienced “mean girls”, even on the blogworld. We call them the Homeschool Edition. Just the article said they are in every sect of peoples. It makes me sorrowful and confuses me, but we have to turn the cheek and forgive the spiteful and unloving actions and words. It sometimes is hard, but with Him we can do anything.
Great post! I love the way you are so matter of fact. You’re right on!
Blessings!
Beth
I used to be a mean girl too. Praise our Lord Adonai for changing us to be like him as we walk in his ways!
Now, I am trying to walk in his ways as Mean Girls try to get to me!
I wrote about Self-control and purity on the TDTW blog last week.
http://trainingdaughtersteachingwives.com/?p=463
It was also my response to the problem of mean girls.
Good response!
blessings~
Great thoughts. I’d love to hear your thoughts on dealing with mean girls as a parent. We’ve had a situation where a mean girl bullied my son and her parents condoned it.
(really really odd if you ask me!)
We dealt with it by prayer and staying away from them.
Sadly enough we have seen our fair share of mean spririted haughty girls, even sadder is that they have been homeschooled, professing Christians. Even sadder is that they learn their behavior at home, from their parents. All you can do is keep a distance and never leave your children alone with them. Always be within eyesight and preferably within earshot. no child deserves to be treated that way. Other than that, lots of prayer, lots. And overcome them with love. You will be the first to hear about it when they change their ways and it is such a blessing!
Great Jesus thinking minds think alike 🙂
Great post Penny!
Due to technology, it is more commonplace these days to find “mean girls” on the internet than we used to when folks only communicated face to face. It’s so much more difficult to look your victim in the eye and be a “mean girl”. I’ll talk about this more in depth on an upcoming show on Grace Talk Soup.
Another reason you see more “mean girls” (although both genders are equally guilty) these days is that society doesn’t teach us where self-esteem comes from (accomplishment and not empty praise) or about being humble. I just finished writing my new leadership study where I share that the world’s idea of a great leader and God’s instruction of godly leadership are two very different things! The world sees a leader as charismatic, bold and in charge. God tells us that a leader is one humbled in service of others on a journey that brings glory and honor to the Lord and leads others to Him.