We all face bullies We all face bullying in some form, whether it is in the playground at school, among family members who always want their own way, to people at work, or governments and authorities. People using their power against the less powerful is a reality all over the world, in many different ways. Many people are hurting – they are afraid of those who are powerful, those who make them fear sometimes even at the mention of their name. Our dilemma is, how should we react when we are faced with threats? Should we be afraid? Ultimately, if we are believers, we know that we will be freed from all such problems when we go to be with the Lord, but how should we react in the meantime, here and now? An example from the Bible In Daniel 2:1-49, we read of a similar situation. Daniel lived under a tyrant, Nebuchadnezzar, in Babylon, which is now modern day Iraq. Nebuchadnezzar had a fiery temper, and ruled by threatening people with excessive threats of violence and death, if they did not do what he wanted. He was a bully, and what’s worse, he was a powerful one. Aside from the prophetic interpretations, the main point of Daniel 2 is that we should not fear the big people, but look to the God instead. There are two main reasons we can trust in God, the future and the present. In the future, time is on our side. In the present, character is on our side. Nebuchadnezzar’s dream about the statue shows us that in the end the kingdom of God is the only one that will last. We should be more concerned about what God thinks than what people think. If we’ve been forgiven by faith in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9), and we have peace with God (Romans 5:1) now, and we know that ultimately victory is on God’s side. But also, we can often show that we are not under the control of others by how we react. In the face of death, Daniel reacted with composure and wisdom. He was concerned not only for the safety of his friends, but also the wellbeing of the others who were at risk too. His prayer to God is answered, proving that his God is ultimately in control, not the threatening king. His calm, faithful character also shows that God is in control of his life, not the aggressive and threatening ruler who is in front of him. With the Lord in our lives, we can react differently under threat and pressure. But ultimately, we also know that his kingdom is coming (Luke 10:2), which will bring freedom from all kinds of oppression and suffering (Revelation 21:3-4). Entry into this kingdom is by faith in Jesus (Mark 1:15). Be encouraged, fear God, not people (Psalm 146:3-5 NLT).