TLIC FAMILY. PROVERBS. SEPTEMBER 19: WINE.

THINK TOGETHER.

What does it mean to be drunk or intoxicated?

READ TOGETHER

Proverbs 23:29-35. ²⁹Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has strife? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? ³⁰Those who tarry long over wine; those who go to try mixed wine. ³¹Do not look at wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup and goes down smoothly. ³²In the end it bites like a serpent and stings like an adder. ³³Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart utter perverse things. ³⁵“They struck me,” you will say, “but I was not hurt; they beat me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake?  I must have another drink.”

I remember when I was in college working at Dominos Pizza my co-workers making fun of the manager because she had gotten drunk at a party and did foolish things. She couldn’t remember any of it, so she just sat there humiliated as her employees laughed about it. I remember thinking how stupid it is to get drunk.

My brother started drinking alcohol when he was a teenager. His friends talked him into it, and he’s been an alcoholic ever since. Thankfully he’s stopped drinking recently because it was literally about to kill him.

I have a friend who had a scholarship to play football in college, but because he got drunk and did something stupid he lost the scholarship and never played college football (or any football ever again).  

Proverbs is full of warnings about drinking alcohol and getting drunk. As you get older you may be tempted from within or pressured by friends to drink alcohol and get drunk. Don’t do it! Listen to God’s warnings. Talk to your parents about it. Most importantly realize that the reason people use too much alcohol is to cover something up, or to fit in with others. But with Jesus living inside of you, you never have to cover up or fit in with others. That’s why the Apostle Paul says, “Don’t be drunk with wine…but be filled with the Spirit.” The Spirit gives you love, joy, and peace. Alcohol might promise these but it never delivers them like Jesus does.

Because of Jesus we are full of love, joy, and peace.

With Jesus we don’t need alcohol to make us feel good, he does that for us.

DO SOMETHING TOGETHER

If age appropriate start the conversation in your family about alcohol use. What should your children do if (when) pressured to use alcohol?

PRAY TOGETHER

Jesus, I want you to make me feel good inside and nothing else. Amen.