On Drinking

I do not mean the ubiquitous water bottle.

I mean alcohol.  Beer.  Wine.  Liquor.  This is a touchy topic.  But it is one that must be touched.

Make no mistake; alcohol is a gift from God.  It is at the heart of our sacramental union with Christ.  It is at the center of Paradise’s promise.  (Isaiah 25:6)

But it also can be and is a problem for the pastoral ministry.

Watch it. 

Appropriate alcohol consumption rests between Baptists and (no offense against us) Lutherans.

Watch it.

Too much drinking makes you sloppy.  Too much drinking makes you more careless with other sin.  Too much drinking makes you a bore.  (Drinking ultimately becomes a very self-centered activity.)  Too much drinking makes you vulnerable to genetic predispositions to alcohol problems.

Watch it.

And remember, everyone else is watching you.

Watch it.

Don’t let the brevity of this confuse you about its significance.