Good Trouble: Embracing Holy Disruption in the Face of Injustice

In a world plagued by inequality, oppression, and injustice, what does it mean to live a gospel-centered life? How can we, as people of faith, respond to the challenges of our time in a way that honors God and upholds the dignity of all people? These questions lie at the heart of a powerful message that challenges us to embrace "good trouble" – righteous resistance in the face of injustice.

The concept of "good trouble" isn't new. It's ancient. It's biblical. Throughout scripture, we see examples of spiritual ancestors who made holy disruptions in their time, speaking truth to power and standing up for the vulnerable, even when it cost them dearly.

Consider Moses, raised in the palace but called to the margins. God commanded him to confront Pharaoh, saying, "Let my people go." This wasn't just spiritual talk; it was a direct challenge to an economy built on slavery. Moses disrupted the most powerful empire in the world with nothing but a staff and the word of God. He stood up knowing he would face rejection, fear, and danger, but understood that liberation required disruption.

Jesus himself was no stranger to holy disruption. When he entered the temple and saw money changers exploiting the people, he didn't sit quietly. He flipped tables and drove out the merchants, declaring, "My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves." Jesus showed us that sometimes our calling requires us to disrupt injustice, even within religious institutions.

The apostles Paul and Silas found themselves thrown into prison after casting out a spirit from a slave girl whose owners exploited her for profit. Their disruption of this system of exploitation led to their beating and imprisonment. Yet even in jail, they praised God, and their worship caused a literal earthquake, freeing not only themselves but also opening the door to salvation for their jailer.

These biblical examples remind us that our resistance to injustice may land us in uncomfortable places, but our worship and witness can still transform lives.

The Bible is filled with stories of those who refused to comply with unjust laws and systems. When Pharaoh ordered the killing of all Hebrew baby boys, two midwives, Shiprah and Puah, disobeyed. They lied to the king to protect innocent lives, and scripture says, "God dealt well with them." Their story teaches us that sometimes the most faithful thing we can do is refuse to comply with unjust laws.

Esther, a woman with power and privilege in the king's court, didn't stay silent when her people were threatened. Encouraged by her uncle Mordecai's words, "Perhaps you were born for such a time as this," she approached the king uninvited, risking her life to advocate for justice. Esther's story challenges us to consider how we might use our platforms, positions, or voices for the cause of justice.

The early apostles, when ordered to stop preaching about Jesus, boldly declared, "We must obey God rather than men." The early church grew not because they conformed, but because they boldly resisted the empire. Their faith was not private; it was public, political, and powerful. They remind us that faith that doesn't challenge injustice isn't faith at all – it's conformity.

As we reflect on these examples, we must ask ourselves: Where are we being called to get into "good trouble"? What unjust systems are we being led to disrupt? How will our faith become a holy disruption in our world today?

It's crucial to understand that embracing "good trouble" doesn't mean teaching our children to be disrespectful or disobedient. Rather, we teach them respect not because the system deserves it, but because our children do. We teach them to hold their heads high in a world that keeps trying to make them bow. We teach them how to live with integrity, but we also teach them how to name injustice when they see it.

We do not teach obedience to abuse. We do not teach silence in the face of injustice. We teach truth.

The tragic deaths of young Black individuals like Trayvon Martin, Tamir Rice, and Mike Brown were not the result of disrespect or disobedience. They were the consequences of a system that often sees color before humanity. We must confront this reality and work towards a world where every life is valued, regardless of race or background.

As people of faith, we are called to be like the prophet Isaiah, who urged us to "Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow" (Isaiah 1:17). These verses are not an invitation to passive reflection, but a summons to active resistance.

Similarly, Proverbs 31:8-9 challenges us: "Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy." This wisdom reminds us that speaking truth to power is not a political strategy, but a spiritual mandate.

In our current context, we see modern examples of this prophetic witness. Consider those who engage in nonviolent protests to confront political inaction and amplify the cries of the poor and disabled. Like the prophets of old, they stand where the powerful gather and declare, "This is not right." They join a long line of spiritual leaders who engage in nonviolent protests, echoing the voices of Amos, Isaiah, and Jesus himself.

When economic systems abandon the poor, when healthcare is withheld from the sick, and when policies deepen racial division, people of faith are called to step into the streets and into the halls of power with the authority of scripture behind them.

It's important to remember that biblical justice is never partisan – it is prophetic. Good trouble is gospel trouble. It is the kind of trouble that heals, liberates, and changes history. It confronts racism, challenges greed, and rebukes silence.

As we consider our role in this ongoing struggle for justice, let's stop asking, "What will people think?" and start asking, "What does God require of me?" Our allegiance is not to political platforms, but to Christ and the values of his kingdom. We must develop discernment to recognize when earthly authority diverges from God's righteousness.

Let us pray with boldness for justice to roll down, for leaders to repent, for policies that uplift the vulnerable, and for the church to rise as a prophetic voice, not a passive bystander. As the prophet Amos declared, "Let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream" (Amos 5:24).

In conclusion, we are called to be agents of holy disruption in a world that often values comfort over justice. Our faith should compel us to speak up, stand firm, and, when necessary, get into good trouble for the sake of the gospel and the dignity of all people. May we have the courage to answer this call, trusting that our actions, guided by love and righteousness, can indeed change the world.