More Trash Talk Than Before A Professional Wrestling Match

Ed, my old neighbor from Saskatchewan, and I, had a chat about the American election. Ed phoned me two days after election day. He was proud of himself as he had predicted last New Year’s Eve that Donald Trump would win in the November election in the USA. My old neighbor did admit that it was a long campaign of trash talk between the candidates. “Professional wrestlers are good at trash talk towards an opponent, but Donald and Hilary put them to shame,” Ed observed.

I found out Ed is already lining up his predictions for 2017. He promised me that he would send me a copy of his prophecy at New Years so that I can be prepared for the coming year. I told him that I still haven’t got my mind around the new president. I don’t want to hear any more of Ed’s forecasting. I would rather not know what will happen until after the fact. Ed is certain border walls will be built, but I refuse to deal with that thought right now.

The actual definition of ‘trash talk’ is disparaging, insulting, taunting, or boastful speech intended to demoralize, intimidate or humiliate someone, especially an opponent in an athletic contest. It sure is easy to hear such talk just about anywhere put particularly in election campaigns at all levels of government. No one is immune to being the victim of trash talk. Sadly, we all bear too much false testimony about folks we do not like and don’t think twice about hurting someone’s reputation.

When Jesus was crucified with two other criminals, one of them hurled insults at Jesus as they all hung on their crosses. He taunted Jesus with, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us! When Jesus was crucified the people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at him. They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.” The soldiers also came up and mocked him. There was one exception to all the trash talk leveled at Jesus. One of the men crucified with Jesus insulted him, but the other spoke well of Jesus. He said, “We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”

Trash talk does not change the truth it just clouds it for those who aren’t concerned with the whole truth. When we indulge in trash talk, it says more about us than the person we hurl it at. Trash talk means we are willing to betray and hurt the reputation of another. We could defend, speak well of, and explain the person or their actions in the most positive way instead of talking trash about him or her. Lack of love and willingness to slander are often at the core of what we say about others. Free speech is not our right to make false accusations about others.

Jesus was and is the truth of God’s love towards sinful trash talking humans. On the cross he showed the love that always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and perseveres. He was willing to sacrifice himself on the cross that we would have His good reputation before God the Father.

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