Friday, August 17, 2012

Dangerously Drunk

And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, or like one who lies down on the top of a mast. (Proverbs 23:34)

We are most vulnerable when we slumber. When we sleep we are incapacitated. Harm may come easily to one who is asleep.  Remember when Samson got a haircut?  The ultimate bad hair day!  While asleep, our minds may be hard at work but only in the dreamworld.  Think of someone asleep on the sea or napping in the crow’s nest. The crow’s nest was a lookout perch placed high atop the mast of a sailing ship. The impact of the tossing of the waves would be magnified when the mast was pitched back and forth.  Movement at the sea level would increase exponentially at the top of the mast. Therefore, the person in the perch must be alert to the danger and responsive and responsible. Many times they would lash themselves to the mast in case they were to fall asleep, lulled into slumber by the gentler motion of the sea. This verse describes our condition when we are under the influence of powerful and intoxicating drink. The one who lingers long over their wine can be easily pitched out of their perch and easily drowned in the midst of the deep.  We can be easily lured into a harmless drink or two and find ourselves thinking we really do have control of our faculties.  Lately, the advertisers of intoxicating beverages will use the disclaimer...Remember to drink responsibly.  But the problem is that we can easily get into a dangerous dilemma and forget how to function in our enebriated condition.  Drunkenness is like being in a dream world, forgetting all about our responsibilities and our wise responses to foolish provocations.  The debate continues among believers as to whether it's ok to drink in moderation, or to totally abstain.  I believe either one of these positions is a valid biblical stance.  But the stance that is not the stance of a solid bible believer is the wobbling stance, or stagger, of a drunkard.  For me, the best way to drink alcohol responsibly is not to drink at all.  Because when we are really drunk…we are really in danger.  We might as well be sleeping on the sea.  Too much wine can water down a whole lot of wisdom.

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