1. Late US Congressman John Lewis
Congressman John Lewis was a good troublemaker. He said when you see wrong, we have a moral obligation to speak, and make good trouble. He said, “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our struggle is not the struggle of a day, a week, a month, or a year, it is the struggle of a lifetime. Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.”
If you’re not careful, when you try to make a difference in life, oftentimes, folks will label you as a troublemaker and will be quick to tell you this is the way we’ve always done it.
2. Paul & Barnabas
They preach salvation to the Jews and they had a problem with receiving it. The whole city gathered together, to hear the Word of God, the Jews were filled with envy and they began to speak blasphemy on Paul and Barnabas.
Paul and Barnabas stood bold in their words and because of that, they were now in trouble. It was necessary. When you stand up and do what the Lord says, you might find yourself standing alone. When you stand up for the Lord, you become a target to everyone…good, bad or indifferent.
When God blesses us with a gift, you have to learn to use it to the best of your ability. If you don’t use it, you’ll lose it.
3. Jesus Christ
If you believe in Jesus Christ, you ought to be a troublemaker. Stand up for what is right.
Jesus stayed in trouble.
Matthew 8, where Jesus restored two demon possessed men. Jesus cast the demons into a neighboring herd of pigs. In turn, the pigs ran off a cliff and killed themselves.
We’ve got to learn to pick our fights. We must learn to speak the word of God. Yes, Jesus loves you, but He is also a God of wrath.
Acts 13:44-46
44 And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God.
45 But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming.
46 Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles.
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