Most people who are part of my heritage of faith are teetotalers. Those who do drink do it quietly, because (at least for me and those with whom I’ve spoke of it) of Paul’s admonitions in Romans 14 and elsewhere not to do things your weaker brother can see and be offended, even if these things are not wrong in themselves. Yes, we know that Jesus and the disciples drank wine, and Jesus even miraculously made wine on one occasion that we know of, but none of us have any interest in making an issue of it for fear of causing offense with those who don’t see it that way.
Recently, I heard a really gracious explanation from a person for whom I have great respect. He said “there are some things that are always sin, like murder or adultery. But there are other things that are not sinful in and of themselves… so long as people use them moderately. But when people depart from moderation and let those things take control, they become first a weight to beset us, and then become sin to us.”
I have for so long wanted to get back to the moderation that my wife and I enjoyed back in the 20th Century and slightly into this century. Back then, we would drink moderately only on special occasions, like a romantic trip somewhere, and that would only happen at most 6-8 times per year. So after hearing this, I decided to try a different sort of moderation. Instead of our normal 2-3 bottles per night (with me consuming most) we decided to try an experiment: splitting only one bottle between the two of us. That was only two 6-ounce pours apiece, which for me did nothing more than a slight warm feeling. And a couple glasses per night has several health benefits.
It worked for a few days, but last weekend, it spiraled out of control again. For me, it became sin. I didn’t do anything really crazy or hurtful, but I did lose over three days of my life which is now only a blur. And I hurt the love of my life by doing so… again. So now I’ve made a new start at AA, because I don’t want this thing to continue to be sin to me.
Yes, I have the same fears of going back to being really dull and boring, like I was for most of my life until starting to drink regularly. But she fell in love with me when I was that way, and she’s in danger of falling out of love with me now, so which makes the most sense? Being the person she loves or the one she doesn’t?
