Daily Advent Devotions from Church Street UMC
Saturday, December 12, Morning
By John Eldridge
Good Trouble
Read Amos 5:24
“Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever flowing stream.”
One of my all time heroes, John Lewis, died this year. He coined the phrase, “Good trouble,” saying that when you see injustice, you need to do something about it, even if it means getting into trouble. When you get into trouble that advances the cause of justice, reconciliation and inclusion; that was not getting into trouble for John Lewis, it was getting into good trouble.
I have been thinking about John Lewis’ belief in good trouble a lot lately, and I think about something else he said: “When you pray, pray with your feet.”
It troubles me to realize that my comfortable life in the suburbs is getting in the way of my getting into good trouble. There is good trouble I need to get in all around me: my white privilege, economic and social injustice, systemic racism, hunger in America (not to mention around the world), the lack of inclusion in my church, and the list goes on.
And I find myself pondering where I need to get into good trouble and do something to advance the cause of truth and justice and bring about a more loving and inclusive church, community, society and world.
How about you? As you live out these days of Advent, is there a place in your comfortable life that you need to leave and, following John Lewis’ example, go get into some good trouble?
Prayer
Search my heart, Lord, and help me see what I need to do to help bring your kingdom to this world. Amen.
