By Stephanie J. Salisbury

I’m wary of trash talking before the game. It’s not that I have an aversion to building up my team (or even putting the other team down)…it’s a matter of ‘later dignity’. I’d hate to build up the awesomeness of my Wolverines only to have them fail me. I’d also hate to run another team through the mud when that team might end up being victorious. I certainly don’t want to have the other team’s fans up in my face later, making fun of me because I was so haughty. And, there’s the part of me that doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings. (It’s a really small part, though… I’ll definitely trash talk AFTER the game is over and I win, particularly if you tried to trash talk ME before the game. Because, haha.)

I’ve noticed there’s trash talk in religious circles, and I’m not talking about sports. Often, one religion or denomination spends a great deal of time ‘bashing’ another, or calling out all the reasons they’re better. Most of the time, this kind of trash talk comes from a lack of understanding of the other person’s viewpoint. So much would be accomplished by sitting down and learning from one another. If you feel passionate about your beliefs and want the other person to understand more thoroughly, you won’t accomplish that by pointing out all the flaws in their religion. You won’t win any points by telling others what’s wrong with their viewpoints and why yours are superior.

Regardless of your beliefs, the old saying, “You catch more flies with honey than with vinegar” still holds true. The only way you’re going to influence people is to show them what’s different in your life because of your beliefs. Stop trying to point out what’s wrong with their lives, and what’s right with yours. Start caring, giving, loving, and being kind. Believe me, they will notice what’s different about you, and they will most definitely want to spend more time around your positive energy. In the process, you’ll have the opportunity to show them why you are the way you are.

For me, it’s Jesus. My life changed dramatically when I experienced His love through someone else. It wasn’t that person telling me what was wrong with me (because, let’s face it, I already knew.) It was that person loving me like Jesus does, loving me as the flawed, failed human that I was (and still am), and it made all the difference in the world. It made me want to change. It made me want to be better. It made me start on this Journey and never want to stop

Read more at www.AJourneyofReinvention.com or www.Facebook.com/AJourneyofReinvention.