Stanley wasn't welcome at William and Jenny's house.
They didn't ever tell him so because they went to school with him and he could be pretty nasty. And he was bigger than William.
Every time Stan came he caused trouble, you know the kind.
Talking all the time and never letting anyone else get a word in edgeways.
Stan had a bad temper too. Anything could get him going with a tantrum.
He roared at Jenny once because she tripped over his chair and bumped him.
One day he punched poor Will under the eye, and it was blue and puffed for days.

No one really liked Stanley.
Oh they didn't say so to his face, no one dared, but they got out of his way if they could.
He didn't seem to know how unpopular he was,
maybe because he wasn't sensitive to other kids' feelings.
Why do bullies act like they do. They can make life awful can't they.
It is because of sin in their lives.

God never meant people to be like they are so often.
Selfish, cruel, always fighting.
Sometimes even families themselves can't get on together.
It is all so sad, because the Lord Jesus wants Christians to be at peace together.
He is the Light which came into the darkness of our world of sin.

The Lord Jesus had a happy childhood.
But I'm sure he would have known bullies when he was a boy.
He came to earth as a real baby, grew up to be a boy and finally became a man.
He understands your problems, so why not tell Him all about them.
He'll understand. He knows about unkind, cruel people.
When He became a man He was taken to the Cross of Calvary by rough men,
and He died there for your sin and mine.
More about that tomorrow.

What a world we live in!
The beauty of it is breathe-taking, yet behind every beauty there is danger.
How much we need God to carry us through. The greatest danger is mankind itself.
The wars we see on television, the murders always appearing in movies,
the crazy struggle by people to get as much for themselves as possible -
and who cares if others suffer for their greed.
All the time Jesus Christ is waiting.
Waiting for anyone who will turn to Him, who is the Truth and the Light.
Why do so few turn to Jesus the Saviour to be born-again?
Well the Bible makes it plain enough:
 

Those who have their eyes truly open come to Jesus Christ,
for only in Him is there life - and HOPE, JOY and PEACE
 

Read John 3:9-17.