"Good Trouble; Necessary Trouble!"

Jesus models for us a transgression to bring liberation to someone limited socially and spiritually. We saw the same in John Lewis.

As Member of Congress and Civil Rights Activist John R. Lewis was laid to rest, we were reminded of his invitation and encouragement for all of us to see the injustice around us and to do something about it--getting into "Good Trouble; Necessary Trouble." As we look at Jesus in John 9, we see that he does this--modelling for us not only solutioning a problem for someone in our midst, but being willing to transgress the unjust appeal to following the law for the law's sake, but forgetting our responsibility to love our neighbor like ourself. Which one among us wants our liberation held up for the sake of formality.  We find ourselves in a time where there things that we can do to help those around us. What we can do, what we ought to do. Jesus had an ability to act--power--to help the man born blind, and to liberate the the thinking of the disciples who followed Jesus. We, too, have a responsibility to use our ability to act to help someone, and to elevate the thinking of our kin and kindred. In our walk, we must find ways to help, and if that puts us sideways with convention we may simply have to proceed with our delivery of help, relief, or support to our neighbor. Truth be told, we won't always have this choice to make. The one we'll face most often is do we care enough to help. Jesus cared. John cared. Somebody cared when it was us on the side of the road.

In his work, though, Jesus did more than bring a social and spiritual healing to the man born blind, he elevated the thinking of the disciples. As they considered who had sinned to bring about this physical manifestation of sin, Jesus responds that no one had sinned. The situation was brought about for God's own purpose. Sin wasn't the issue with the man born blind, and for a people who will evangelize in Jesus' name they needed to have another view of the world as one where they could be free to help people without condemnation for their perceived sin. In fact, one of the sins in the narrative is in not recognizing the time is always right to do good for someone else--that liberation is possible on the day of God's choosing. Another is allowing the narratives we've accepted about ourselves preventing us from seeing Jesus the Christ. God may grant us all the opportunity to use the orthodoxy we claim and prize to drive our praxis in helping somebody. I pray that we all--you and me--will do what Jesus shows us to do at the appointed hour. To responsibly and faithfully act to meet somebody's need whom we happen upon. And if that means we have transgressed, then we have walked into Good Trouble; Necessary Trouble clear eyed, resolute, and thanking God in Christ Jesus for the chance to serve. May it be so. We will be in prayer for you and yours! God bless you, Bethlehem. Let's stay faithful!

#John915

#GoodTrouble

#Jesus

#JohnLewis