Think Twice Before You Make Fun of Someone - iBelieve Truth: A Devotional for Women - February 24, 2026

Audio By Carbonatix

“From there, Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. ‘Get out of here, baldy!’ they said. ‘Get out of here, baldy!’ He turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria” (2 Kings 2:23-25).

I used to be mocked a lot when I was younger. Due to being chubby and an easy target, many people said mean things to me. It got to the point of bullying by the time I was in middle school, which forced my mom to take me out of public school. Being made fun of hurts our feelings and makes us feel inferior to others. 

Have you ever been made fun of? How did it make you feel? Personally, it makes me feel terrible about myself. Being made fun of can lead to self-hate, a negative self-view, and low self-esteem. 

It is not your fault if you have been made fun of or bullied. However, it might be your responsibility to repair the parts of you that have been broken. I started on a long journey of growth a few years ago. Part of this journey was to fix the brokenness inside of me. The hurtful words from others had eroded my self-esteem. 

I started to believe I was nothing because that is how I had been treated for so long. Maybe you have felt this way, too. Hearing people say mean things about us will never make us feel good. However, we can change the narrative and bring beauty from darkness. With God's help, we can heal the wounds inflicted on us by others and rise from the ashes.

The Bible gives us this warning, “From there Elisha went up to Bethel. As he was walking along the road, some boys came out of the town and jeered at him. ‘Get out of here, baldy!’ they said. ‘Get out of here, baldy!’ He turned around, looked at them, and called down a curse on them in the name of the Lord. Then two bears came out of the woods and mauled forty-two of the boys. And he went on to Mount Carmel and from there returned to Samaria” (2 Kings 2:23-25).

Elisha had just seen Elijah taken up into Heaven (2 Kings 2:1-18). Elijah allowed Elisha to ask him for whatever he wished, and Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit. This request was granted as Elisha saw Elijah as he went up into Heaven. 

Shortly after this account, Elisha is made fun of by a few boys along the road. They shouted at him as he passed by and said, “Get out of here, baldy!” They were making fun of him for his lack of hair. 

We can recognize how juvenile this mockery is in the modern day. To make fun of someone just because they don’t have hair is absurd. We shouldn’t ever make fun of anyone for any reason. 

Whenever we choose to make fun of someone, we are acting like these juvenile boys. The consequences of their sin are fully seen when Elisha calls down curses upon them in the name of the Lord. Two bears come out of the woods and maul forty-two of the boys. Although only a few boys from this great multitude were making fun of Elisha, forty-two of them were mauled. This shows that if we go along with those who are bullying others and not standing up for what is right, we are just as guilty as those who are doing the actual bullying.

Let us reflect on this truth today. Most of us have been made fun of or bullied, yet we have also made fun of others. Instead of making fun of others or bullying others, we need to be kind, caring, and loving towards one another. In all things, we need to treat others the way we want to be treated (Luke 6:31). 

“Dear God, it doesn’t feel good when people make fun of me. It hurts my feelings and makes me feel awful about myself. Please provide healing to my soul. I also ask that you help me refrain from making fun of others or bullying them. I don’t want to hurt someone else. I will treat everyone the way I want to be treated. In Your Son’s Name, I pray, Amen.”

Photo Credit: ©Getty Images/Antonio_Diaz

Vivian Bricker obtained a Bachelor of Arts in Ministry, followed by a Master of Arts with an emphasis in theology. She loves all things theology, mission work, and helping others learn about Jesus. Find more of her content at Cultivate.

Related Resource: I Am the Way, the Truth, and the Life | Midweek Prayer (John 14:1–6)

When our hearts feel troubled, Jesus invites us to trust Him again.

This short midweek prayer creates space to pause, breathe deeply, and return to Jesus’s words in John 14:1–6, where He says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” In this guided prayer, we acknowledge the places where worry, uncertainty, or longing have unsettled our hearts and bring them honestly before God.

Jesus reminds us that we are not alone—that He is with us, that He is preparing a place for us, and that He will return for us. As we pray, we ask for help to trust Him more deeply and to follow Him in the way He has already made clear: to love God fully and to love our neighbors as ourselves.

Take a few quiet minutes to slow down, listen for God’s invitation, and rest in the presence of the One who leads us in truth and life. If you like what you hear, follow So Much More on Apple or Spotify so you never miss an episode!