DRINK WITH CAUTION

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In Christ, Mark

The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.

Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.

Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich.

Proverbs 20:1, 21:17            

This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.

Do you drink alcohol?

There aren’t many people I have met who haven’t.

Now, having a drink isn’t wrong. The Bible is full of references to alcohol being consumed at any variety of functions. It was a part of the culture of that day as it is today. The problem with alcohol comes when we fail to drink it in moderation, when we overdo it, drink too much, and fall into the negative consequences of doing so. It is this overuse of alcohol that we find the Bible warning us about.

Let me say that although I have never had a drink, I am very well versed in alcohol and the effects it has on people. I gained this through my work as a Drug and Alcohol Program Advisor (referred to as a DAPA) during my time in the Navy. In my duties, I would do preventive education on the responsible use of alcohol and handle cases when people would drink too much and get in trouble as a result. In many of those cases, people needed some form of counseling or rehabilitation as alcohol had gained a foothold on their life.

There’s little doubt that those who choose to drink alcohol need to do so with caution. I say this because alcohol has a few tricky, insidious characteristics that should serve as warning signs for anyone who partakes in it. Consider the following facts:

1. Alcohol is a depressant.

The first effect of alcohol is far from depressing. Rather, alcohol initially makes a person feel good. This is why many people drink when they are going through some form of difficulty in life. In the quest to feel better, they drink to gain some sense of euphoria in the midst of trial. The problem with this approach is that alcohol, by its nature, is a depressant. So once the initial ecstasy wears off, the depressant nature of alcohol kicks in and all it does is compound the emotional distress the person is going through.

It doesn’t make sense does it, to drink a depressant when one is depressed? And yet so many do, refraining from more sensible solutions to coping with their issues.

2. Alcohol impairs judgment.

Many good people have done some pretty inappropriate (and even heinous) things under the influence of alcohol. This is because people don’t think right once alcohol is in their system and the more they drink, the worse this gets. Alcohol leads to a person losing their judgment and discernment and when this happens, their behavior inevitably becomes altered as they act in ways they never would when sober.

Under the influence of alcohol, a person who never shows aggression when sober will suddenly want to fight everyone and the outcome is typically that the drinker ends up injured in some way.

Under the influence of alcohol, a person may choose to associate with someone else even if they are married. Many relationships have been wrecked by affairs fueled by alcohol consumption and impaired judgment.

Under the influence of alcohol, a person will choose to get behind the wheel of a vehicle even though they are in no condition to operate their vehicle safely.

These are just a few of many examples of risks incurred when we drink and lose control of our ability to make sound decisions and they should serve as a major source of concern for anyone who chooses to drink alcohol. For anyone should want to be at the top of their game when it comes to proper decision making and alcohol only serves to take one off their game. It can lead good people to do bad things, the righteous to engage in wickedness.

3. Alcohol can take over one’s life.

Maybe the most insidious aspect of alcohol is that it can take over and control someone if they do not use it in moderation. The human body develops a tolerance to alcohol and so when people are drinking for the euphoric effects, over time they find they need to drink more and more to get to where they want to be. They also find themselves drinking more and more until they get to a point where they no longer control the alcohol but rather the alcohol controls them. Unchecked, alcohol can and will consume and take over a person’s life, leading them down the road to destruction.

Yes, there are no shortage of things we need to be wary of when it comes to alcohol and its use. The wise person heeds the warnings and steers clear of situations where they overuse alcohol. They respect it and drink it in moderation. They never allow themselves to get into a situation where their judgment is adversely impaired.

Our proverbs for today underscore and reinforce today’s devotion. Take a look at them again:

Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise. Proverbs 20:1

Whoever loves pleasure will become poor; whoever loves wine and olive oil will never be rich. Proverbs 21:17

The wise person understands the nature of alcohol and does not allow themselves to be led astray. They value life so much that they want to live it with a clear head, a head that never wants to be in a place where it cannot make rational decisions. They never would allow alcohol to have more control over them that the Lord Himself.

And that’s the key take away for us today, whether we are talking about alcohol or any other thing that would draw our full focus away from the One who made us and expects us to walk in accordance with His will and way.

As we approach this holiday season and the alcohol is flowing at any number of parties and celebrations, please drink with caution and never allow yourself to be in a place where the alcohol is dictating your behavior and choices more than the Lord is. This is the only way, short of abstaining from alcohol altogether, that you can ensure you will honor and glorify God by what you do and say.

Rest assured, He is watching.

Amen.

In Christ,

Mark

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