I Told My Daddy on You - When a bully, Deebo or giant blocks your path - Knock you out of your shoes

Daddy told me to, “Knock you out of your shoes.” “There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:” (Ecc. 3:1 NIV) In this case, “Daddy” is anyone who shares the biblical advice of God the Father. Like in the biblical story of David and Goliath, the phrase “Knock you out of your shoes” refers to the general biblical principle and plan of action when dealing with a bully, like the character "Deebo' in the 1995 film Friday and its 2000 sequel. Specific advice will vary depending on the situation. At any age, you must learn to stand up for yourself and fight for what’s right using phenomenal life sight. Check out The Andy Griffith 1961 TV show, season two episode entitled, “Opie and the Bully.” You may get a black eye and you may get your butt whooped, but the truth is, though you may fall, yet will you rise. Though you may fall in the eyes of the bully and your peers, you will rise with increased strength in character and power in stature. Though the bully may appear to rise and rule over you, look closely and you will see the beginning of the bully’s descent and fall from grace and esteem. It’s like in the movie, The “Karate Kid.” Every time you get up from being knocked down, the more empowered you become in strength and character and the further down the bully falls from esteem and grace. The tide will turn. At some point the bully will have fallen to such a weak and rejected station in the eyes of truth and justice that the only real source of human power strong enough to help lift the poor wrenched soul from the weight of a disgraced life is your power of forgiveness. The exception to this principle and plan is when the bully is a mentally unstable person. My advice is, leave crazy folks alone. “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him.” (Proverbs 26:4) If the bully poses a danger to you, your community or society at large, then, depending on the situation, get the legal and professional help and support needed to get the bully the help that is needed or have the bully committed, confined, condemned, put away, kicked out, put out, or expelled and the bully's power reduced, restricted and eliminated. “Knock you out of your shoes,” means, “Do, what you have to do.” It may not be pleasant, it may not be easy, and you may be scared, so doing what you have to do takes courage. Courage is not the absence of fear but doing what needs to be done in the face of fear (see the 2001 "Black Knight" movie). “Knock you out of your shoes means,” “Do what needs to be done.” “A Psalm of David. Blessed be the LORD my rock, which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight:” (Ps 144:1 English Revised Version) 1Hear, my children, the instruction of a father,... 5Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. 6Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; Love her, and she will keep you. 7Wisdom is the principal thing; Therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. 8Exalt her, and she will promote you; She will bring you honor, when you embrace her. 9She will place on your head an ornament of grace; A crown of glory she will deliver to you.” (Prov. 4:1, 5--9 NKJV) At all ages and stages in life we must confront bullies and giants because, using phenomenal vision, in all earthly places and at all earthly levels corruption can be seen. Bullies and giants can be seen in school yards, marriages, civil and business partnerships, hostile corporate takeover attempts, unethical lawful and unlawful governance at all levels in all governments, aggressive expansion attempts by legal and illegal entities, ethnic cleansing attempts, war crimes, and so on and so forth. All battles need not be fought and all battles need not be physical. Pray for God's guidance, wisdom and strength. You must have a plan and strategy when dealing with a bully or giant. Make sure you let a trusted person know what is going on. Sometimes no one can be trusted. If no person can be trusted, then please take note, you can always trust God. God is an 'on time' God and will show up and show out. Prayer: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” Rev. Dr. Leonidas A, Johnson December 14, 2025 Rev. Leonidas The Optometrist www.revleonidastheoptometrist.org