He shall not judge by what his eyes see, or decide disputes by what his ears hear, but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
ISAIAH 11:13B-14 (ESV)
A day after I finished Trouble by Gary Schmidt, I reread it, and then, immediately called one son and told him to add it to his “must read” list. I pestered my mother-in-law to read Trouble. Why?
The characters are compelling, and the plots twists numerous and the prose as beautiful as you would expect from a professor of English at Calvin College, but Trouble offers more.
I learned the perspective of people overwhelmed with circumstances and grief. The reply “Fine” means “Please don’t ask questions I can’t answer.”
My understanding of the discrimination that refugees face in the United States increased.
Most importantly, Trouble illustrates Isaiah 11:13-14. The characters—and therefore the readers—are misled by what their eyes see and their ears hear. Righteousness prevails. Justice is given to the poor of the earth.
After the last page is read, the characters will still wrestle with Trouble, but accompanied by Hope and Happiness.
Thank you, Gary Schmidt.
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