Have you heard Tobe Nwigwe’s song “Try Jesus”?  If not, give it a listen.  My husband says the song fits me perfectly.  I laughed. I am not one to pick fights, but I am not one who backs down from fights either.  (I got in trouble once for running from a fight.  I never ran from a fight again after that.)

I haven’t thrown any actual punches in my adult life.  I’m a married woman with children.  Also I have visited folks in prison.  I have no desire to spend more than a couple hours in any penile institution.  Jail is not for me.

My battles now are usually verbal, and are almost always political.  Almost every single fight starts with me asking questions.  (I also got in trouble once for believing some nonsense someone told me, so now I question everything and everybody.) People in power do not like to be questioned.  They want us to believe that their God-given authority makes them above reproach.  I study people, and I study the Bible.  None of us is above reproach.

Back when we went to church, I got labeled as a troublemaker for questioning leadership.  I’ve been kicked out of ministries, ostracized from members, and made to feel like I was out of order for asking questions during question and answer time.

Congressman John Lewis said make good trouble. I hope that’s what I have done.  I hope that as a result of my questions, people and systems have gotten, and will get better. I hope I’m fighting battles now, so that my kids don’t  have to confront these same issues in 20 years.

Wherever and however you’re choosing to serve, I pray you not only catch a wave, but you’re making waves, too.  (That’s another Tobe Nwigwe reference.)

Mama Radford