Wine is a mocker, strong drink a brawler, and whoever is intoxicated by it is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1, New American Standard Bible.
Wine makes you mean, beer makes you quarrelsome—a staggering drunk is not much fun.
Proverbs 20:1, The Message.
I recently watched a family member who is turning 50 years old later this year, throw up in a gutter in front of my house. He threw up because he was drunk and the alcohol obviously overtook his body.
I share this not to judge, but to point out we’re all choosing how we want to express ourselves at different stages of our lives. Trust me, I was no different than my family member. I can still remember (or be reminded of) the many times I threw up because I was overly drunk. My past includes being arrested for driving under the influence. So, I’m not judging.
What saddens me is I love this family member. I want the best for this person. Maybe they like puking from alcohol poisoning? I just know when I stopped getting drunk my life got better. And you reader, have to understand the history of my perspective. It’s not like watching my family member throw up from being drunk is a rare event. It happens regularly. And that’s what saddens me the most because I know it’s not something anyone would choose to do on a regular basis. It’s the habit of it that disturbs me as well.
As we mature in our spiritual perspective, we recognize that we’re all choosing every moment of our life. Some of us do it consciously and probably the majority doesn’t realize they're choosing anything. We try to chalk up the state of our life to that’s just how it is. But is it? Is it just that way? Or are we choosing it to be a certain way?
I know. Earlier, I stated throwing up from getting drunk is not something anyone would choose to do on a regular basis. So why is it happening? Because another choice has not been made. My family member understands their limits but still chooses to push them further. It’s still a choice no matter how you look at it. No one forced this person to drink too much alcohol. They just did it.
There’s nothing wrong with drinking alcohol in moderation. It becomes wrong, or as the Bible states, not wise, when you’re ruled by alcohol. At the very least, give it some thought. The Bible wasn’t written to hurt people or to stop people from having fun. No way! It was written to help people navigate through life with wisdom. You either choose it or you don’t.
...to be continued...
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