Trash talking seems to have become a big part of athletics, especially professional athletics.  There was always some; even in Little League you’d hear teammates tell the pitcher, “Don’t worry.  He couldn’t hear the broad side of a barn.”  In football an opposing lineman might say, “I’m going to knock you on your rear.”  It could also be personal like “Your mother wears combat boots,” or even worse.  Today it’s pervasive and takes place at times other than the game, and the language is abhorrent and demeaning.  Where has sportsmanship gone?

There is a trash talking episode in the Bible, and the prophet in question is Elijah.  Here is a simplified version of the situation.  Under King Ahab the priests of Baal had become prominent, and Elijah challenged them to a contest.  Both he and the priests were to place a sacrificed bull on a pyre of wood, and then each would call on their god to light the pyre.  Elijah lets the priest go first.   The priests pray and appeal to Baal, and they even cut themselves with knives and lances.  This goes on for several hours, but nothing happens.  Finally, Elijah starts taunting them, and he is not nice about it.  In I Kings 18:27 (Good News Translation) we find Elijah shouting, “Pray louder!  Maybe he is day-dreaming or relieving himself, or perhaps he’s gone off on a trip!  Or maybe he’s sleeping, and you’ve got to wake him up!”  Fire never comes to the priests’ pyre.  When Elijah’s turn comes, he has his pyre drenched with water, making it harder to burn.  He then prays a simple short prayer (always the best), and God answers by lighting his fire.  It would have been great to see.

Today our New Testament charge is to witness to God’s freely given grace and to spread the Gospel.  We no longer need hold contests with our God against others, and we no longer need to argue on behalf of God using the law.  In fact, because of free will, trash talking and legal wrangling would be counterproductive to spreading the Gospel.  I’m glad, for I never liked trash talking in athletics; it is even more distasteful in the context of religion.  There are fire and brimstone people who essentially trash talk people into feeling guilt.  This is easy, for we are all far from perfect, and all have sinned.  The real story of the New Testament is that God’s grace is given to remove that guilt.

Please enjoy reading Elijah’s trash talking story in full, which is given in 1 Kings 18:16-40, and remember:  God loves YOU unconditionally.

Jim