Do not gaze at wine
when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly! In the
end it bites like a snake and poisons like a viper. Your eyes will see strange
sights and your mind imagine confusing things. (Proverbs 23:31-33)
It would be unwise to get off on a tangent with this verse,
but the least you can say is that Solomon doesn’t mince his words. The bottom
line is this: if you get caught in the trap of alcohol (or drugs or food or any
other unhealthy addiction), you will pay for it in the end. It is a matter of
control.
Isn’t it interesting that the same word picture is used by
Paul in the New Testament? The issue of
control extends to a person being controlled by the Holy Spirit. We read in
Ephesians 5:15-18:
Be very careful, then,
how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity
because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the
Lord’s will is: Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead,
be filled with the Spirit. (Ephesians 5:15-18)
Bob Dillon had a short-lived conversion to Christianity in
the 1970s, and wrote a song, You Gotta Serve Somebody. The fact
that he slipped back into a life of fame, drugs and alcohol probably means that
it will get lost in some historic time warp, but the words told a tale that
repeats itself; either you control the appetites of your sinful nature, or you
will be controlled.
The Proverbs speak of a control that is obtained through
seeking wisdom, understanding, and God’s path. This same kind of control is
spoken in the New Testament using the imagery of being under the control of
God’s indwelling Spirit; not to make us perfect or without sin, but to give us
forgiveness and replicate the character of Christ in us. In both of these
(wisdom and the Holy Spirit), God offers power for living and a hope to live
our lives under control.
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