The guys at the local coffee & donut shop talked about the girls’ basketball team and their playoff loss over the weekend.

“What was the coach thinking when he slowed the girls down against Prairie? He just doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

The speaker led the chorus of grumblers and naysayers. Plenty of heads nodded in agreement.

Now I’m not especially bold but I had to hijack the direction of the conversation. “Wayne, the girls won another conference title. Another one! Just because they lost Saturday doesn’t mean we’ve got a lousy coach.”

The truth is our girls’ basketball team has won six conference titles in a row. We’ve grown accustomed to their success and don’t stomach losses easily. The coach and the girls have elevated our expectations to the point that we can’t enjoy a season without a state championship—something no local team has ever accomplished.

The interesting thing to me about that day’s conversation was that my one positive statement turned the tide. From that point on, we talked about how good the coach and his team are.

The JOURNEY invites us to know the ONE and to share His positive influence in our lives with others. We experience elements of HOME in our everyday world, love, joy, peace, and delight. We express those elements in our everyday interactions with others. Or at least every day offers that opportunity.

Question: When did someone offer a positive thought in a generally negative conversation? What happened after the positive statement?