I am always watching and observing people. Seeing how people act, listening to what they say, seeing what is important to them, etc.. It seems that everyone in college is consumed with two things: drinking and sex. I am aware that it isn’t only college students, but a large portion of the world, but since I’m in college and what got me going on this, I’ll focus on twenty somethings. I’m not sure why, but it bothers me that all a teacher has to do to gain acceptance with students is joke about drinking until they pass out, what kind of alcohol is great to consume, etc. It bothers me that 50-60% of conversations I hear are centered around how drunk people can get this coming weekend or got the one prior.
Before you get upset at me… I’m not saying it is a sin to drink. I’ve personally made the decision in my life not to drink. However, according to the Bible, having a beer or a glass of wine is absolutely fine. In fact, if you had to choose to drink a glass of wine or a coke, the glass of wine is better for you. I will say that drinking to get drunk or drinking hard liquor is a sin though. Know that in no way am I trying to point a finger and say if you drink you’re going to Hell, you’re a bad person, etc.. Listen…nobody is perfect and I have just as many flaws and fail just as often as anyone else. But while I’m focused on drinking for today…here are some thoughts:
- Everyone knows somebody that has either been negatively affected by alcohol, addicted to alcohol, or have died from a result of alcohol.
- I’m convinced that the majority of people use alcohol as an escape from their present reality
- I’m convinced people are looking in the bottles to fill a need in them (whether it’s acceptance, confidence, respect, etc.) that will never been filled through any other means but God.
- The urge to drink doesn’t just stop when college is over… in fact, for most people it continues throughout the majority of their lives (ever been to a family reunion or a wedding? I think I’m going to have a dry wedding haha… see how crazy people go! (Just a thought! haha))
- I can’t tell you how awesome it’s been since I stopped drinking years ago to never have a hang over, feel like crap, get extremely depressed or angry through drinking.
- It’s possible to have fun without drinking… a ton of fun!
- There are people who don’t have to go to the bar every week to have a good time…
- When I was younger I wanted to consume as much as I can to have fun, escape reality, and follow what everyone else was doing. I didn’t know it was possible to have fun without drinking (or some other substance to altar my mind)
- When I grew up a little bit, I’d be sitting around at parties drinking like I used to and thinking to myself, “There has to be something more to life than this.”
- Then I stopped drinking publicly, stopped going to parties, etc.., but then I’d drink with those people whom I’d feel safe with.
- Eventually I got to the point where I’d only have a beer or a glass of wine with dinner
- Finally, where I am today and have been for a while, I realized that as a leader people are looking at my life. Teenagers, children, twenty somethings, and even adults are watching how I conduct myself. I never want to preach or teach something that I don’t do myself. I never want to have a negative impact on another person. The Bible says that it’s a sin to cause another person to stumble. I never want someone to stumble because of something as simple as a glass of wine or a beer, so I made the decision to never consume alcohol again in my life.
- I will never give up the call of God on my life for a beer or glass of wine.
This was a bit lengthy, but being on a college campus breaks my heart when I see people searching for answers in places they’ll never find them…. AHH…. I could go on forever.
What are your thoughts on this?
