The Bully and The Defender -- A True Story

When I was in sixth grade, I was in the school play. However inappropriate I realize it to be now, the play was about a family who was up in the middle of the night arguing. I played the part of the teenaged daughter coming in with her boyfriend at 2:15am. We walk into the scene, realize what time it is, that the family is awake and dive behind the couch for cover. That is pretty much the play...

The kid who played my boyfriend, Greg -- I barely even knew him. He wasn't in any of my classes or anything. He was, however, one of the "popular kids" -- all the girls in sixth grade had a crush on him. That is all of them except me. I couldnt' have cared less. He was just opposite me in the play.

Dawn was one of the biggest kids in sixth grade. I think we had PE together. Well, she decided that Greg was HER boyfriend (never mind what Greg thought about it!) and that I was in her way. She was going to take me out. She told me to meet her in the cafeteria after school so she could hammer me. Like a ninny, I showed up -- no, seriously, I think she threatened me something worse (worse than being hammered??) if I didnt' show up... Anyway, here I was sitting in the cafeteria after school that afternoon. I was going to try to convince her that I couldn't care less about Greg and that she could have him for all I cared. He was only opposite me in the play -- we weren't even friends, much less boyfriend and girlfriend!

Well, off to the left, who should walk in but Dawn... at the same time, off to the right, in comes Shawna.

Now, I had mentioned that Dawn was one of the biggest kids in sixth grade. Shawna was the biggest. She was absolutely enormous! Fully 5'10" in height and she had the shoulders of a linebacker. I'm certain she probably ended up being a professional athlete when she grew up! Anyway, in walks Shawna and places herself between Dawn and me.

I'd never had any previous contact with Shawna. I knew who she was by sight -- we didn't go to that big of a school -- but we didn't have any classes together and we'd never spoken.

Dawn starts blustering, "Get out of my way! She stole my boyfriend and I'm gonna beat her up!!"

Shawna very calmly and quietly responds, "No. Sharron wouldn't do that. She's a nice girl."

Dawn says more loudly, "Get out of my way!! She stole my boyfriend and I'm going to beat her UP!!"

Shawna, still quietly and calmly responds, "No. Sharron wouldn't do that. She's a nice girl."

At this point, my jaw is firmly on the floor. I manage to protest weakly to Shawna, "Shawna, you don't need to do this..."

Shawna basically tells me to shut up and that "yes I do."

"But why??" query I.

"Because it's the right thing to do," comes the reply.

Again, Dawn blusters for Shawna to get out of the way so she could pound me into hamburger.

Shawna this time, quite calmly, but firmly replies, "If you are going to get to Sharron, you have to go through me first."

Dawn starts to get even more aggitated, "Get Out of My Way!!!"

Still firmly, "If you are going to get to Sharron, you are going to have to go through me first," was the reply.

At that, Dawn turned tail, only to run into the Principle -- a formidible woman in her own right. She was about 5'9" with fully a foot and a half piled up flaming red hair! The principle took her by the shoulders directly into her office.

Shawna turned to me. I pulled my jaw up off the floor again, to ask her, "Why did you help me?? You didn't have to..."

"Yes, I did."

"But why? I don't understand??"

"Because it was the right thing to do. You are a nice girl and I couldn't stand by and see her beat you up when I could do something about it. It was just the right thing to do."

I stammered a weak "Thank you."

Shawna replied, "Don't mention it," and turned and left the building.

From that point on Dawn never bothered me again, in fact, she avoided both myself and Greg for the rest of the school year.

And Shawna, we never spoke again. If we saw each other in the hallway, she would nod a greeting, but that was it.

That summer, both girls moved away from our town.

*****


Why am I telling this story? I've been struggling with attacks from the Enemy of my Soul. This morning the Lord reminded me of this event from my childhood. It very clearly and tangibly illustrates several things:

1. Sure the enemy was big and scary,
2. But my Defender was so much bigger and scarier had she chosen to be my opponent!
3. The enemy has to break through my Defender's barrier to be able to get to me,
4. He's afraid to do that!!

Plus, here's where the analogy breaks down, but it is still really cool:

Not only is my Defender bigger and scarier and tougher than the Enemy, but my Defender lives in me!! That makes ME bigger and badder and tougher than the Enemy, as long as I don't allow fear a foothold.

Reminder: Put on your armor every day. Ephesians 6.

Blessings!
Sharron