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BY GEORGE! BE “DRUNK”…
First things first. Alcoholism is a serious social threat capable of breaking down
individuals and their families. Increase in domestic violence is directly proportional to increase in alcohol
abuse says a webpage dwelling on alarming increase of alcohol consumption in India
(http://www.indianalcoholpolicy.org/enl/at_a_new_high.html).
While on the subject, boom in alcohol production often spells doom to the country wrote
Honorable Justice V.R. Krishna Iyer (Former Judge of Indian Supreme court) some time back
in The Hindu (a leading Indian daily)… in February 2010 to be more precise. You may go through this satirical “masterpiece” by clicking on the following URL…
http://www.hindu.com/2010/01/12/stories/2010011255100900.htm
In this article which was rich in intent and content, this highly esteemed one-time presidential candidate
was bemoaning the growth of the “bottle bug” in the south Indian state of Kerala, with the State Government
itself being guilty of giving a fillip to an increase in the consumption of intoxicating beverages.
Long –time The Hindu readers would vouch for the creativity in this reputed nonagenarian’s writing style and
it came to the fore in this article too, without in any diminishing the seriousness of his concerns expressed.
Quite logically, this astute judge of human behavior wrote that alcoholism usually takes its addict and his family
through four stages…jocose, bellicose, lachrymose and comatose. Does this wordplay “dose” seem too heavy? I’ll
explain.
Jocose stage is one when a few pegs are downed unsuspiciously in innocent fun by an individual, not aware
that he is walking straight into anaconda-like coils. Bellicose condition wrought by a few additional glasses
is one of false security when muscles are flexed and danger is seemingly looked into the eye
(Pro 20:1-LB).
Bible students would see such a situation emerging in the following scripture portion-
Judges 9:26-29. Now imagine a
“belligerent” laborer who survives on daily wages entering his house in a bellicose condition. It would lead to objections
of his sober wife, heated arguments …wife beating which would lead to a highly avoidable lachrymose condition
(that pour soul crying spontaneously putting her lachrymal glands into operation with drunk depredator crying too in tow). Now our drunken friend may momentarily
express remorse for the sorry turn of events but COME NEXT EVENING even with his income diminishing, impending domestic brawls,
imminent health-deterioration…sip of the amber-colored liquid would be a bit too hard to resist….
the eventual result of it all after some time? A comatose condition. Speaking of comatose condition, forget for a moment the rural folks are there not many victims
of alcohol abuse amongst the urban elite too? George Best, the greatest white footballer for you ladies and gentlemen…
in his native Northern Ireland the admiration for him is summed up by the local saying: "Maradona good; Pelé better; GEORGE Best.”
For more about this “what might have been” tragic life…
http://www.georgebest.com/home/.
Oh yes coming back to the Iyer ire on alcoholism…is not the State in a way responsible for alcohol-induced poverty reasoned the
seasoned Judge? Finally, he came-up with a punch-line, if he is made the dictator of the country for a limited time,
he would introduce prohibition straightaway for that seemed to him the only panacea of all alcohol induced evils.
Now is prohibition the only way out to combat this social menace? Yes and no! Again confused? Let me explain…
I remember interacting often with an elderly gent in a STD-telephone booth in mid 1990s’ during my official stint in the city of
Vijayawada at that time. Gopal garu (name changed) prima facie was a diligent employee of the owner of that STD booth,
at a time State-ordained prohibition of alcohol consumption was being strictly enforced. Those were the days when a
pharmacist would give you a queer look if you were to ask him for a bottle of Phensedyl cough syrup. Reason? Now this drug had
(still has) high alcohol content! Now coming back to Gopal garu…Boy..he would meticulously maintain the records off all his booth
customers, availing the STD facility therein on credit basis. After some time prohibition was lifted, and lo and behold …
Gopal garu disappeared. My concerned enquiries with the concerned STD booth owner revealed that his elderly employee -an erstwhile alcoholic
who forcibly had to abstain from liquor during the prohibition- had “gone back to wallow in the dirty puddle”
(2 Peter 2:22)!
Tragically, many of his ilk had also followed suit.
So is prohibition the only way out? While prohibition has its merits, in the spiritual realm is it not akin to getting rid of
the cobwebs without killing the spider? With the spider alive, cobwebs would be back sooner or later. For the problem to be
rooted out the “spider” has to die. Every man born with an innate Adamic nature prone to sin
(Romans 3:23), is in need of a
complete spiritual overhaul
(John 3:3). Let’s take the example of Gopal garu, yet again. Now temporary abstinence from alcohol
in its absence did not guarantee a complete victory for him over his vices. The moment prohibition was gone…sadly, he was a goner.
However assume for a moment during the prohibition time, he had had a born again experience
(John 1:12). Would he have returned to
his drinking habits, when prohibition was off? NO WAY! From personal experience, I can vouch for the fact that the indwelling power
of the good Lord would have sustained him even in the midst of all the temptations
(Romans 6:16-23,
8:1-4)! At the heart of all
social problems is the sinfulness of the human heart! A concerned Government can only do so much, to bring discipline in an
individual…beyond a point it is helpless…. so ladies and gentlemen please stand back and welcome the SAVIOR OF THE WORLD!
Jesus (in His name itself is a message) means Savior (Matt 1:21),
He alone can give a new heart to a person deeply immersed in sin.
It is the presence of Jesus in His Spirit (now that He is not there bodily amongst us), which can convict a sinner in his sin and
bring about a radical transformation.
One step of faith would trigger an entire process of a person turning allergic to his addictions (say alcoholism) and becoming addicted to his allergies (disciplined, holy way of living).
Do not we see this experience manifested in the life of Zacchaeus the
Tax Collector (Luke 19:1-10)?
Amassing wealth illegally was his addiction, well… it turned into an allergy, following the
intervention of the Savior, didn’t it? How else could the greedy tax collector part with his carefully hoarded wealth,
so happily and embrace a God-honoring lifestyle? Charitable deeds were never high in the agenda of this mammon-worshipper but
post his encounter with Jesus, we see him overflowing with generosity. If this is not a permanent change for good, what else is?
A closer scrutiny of convicting role of the Holy Spirit would reveal that a sinner goes through a 4 phase
“spiritual rehabilitation programme”
- Realize: Ah, this is first step. A sinner realizes that being in-step with the illicit pleasures of the World
is being out of step with the Almighty. Even for a ship captain is not the realization that he is off course which
actually paves the way for course correction?
- Regret: Every sinner expresses deep regret for his wayward living, once it dawns upon him that he has been
seriously off course. Do not we see a tax collector beating his chest in profound sorrow somewhere in the
Scriptures (Luke 18:13-14)?
- Restitute: Much like what Zacchaeus did. Mark his words… “if I have cheated anybody out of anything,
I will pay back four times the amount." A note of caution here. In the matter of restitution, one has to
exercise discretion. Insensibly, a wife soon after marriage in front of her Spiritual head (of a very orthodox
denomination) in the presence of her husband confessed of laying with her many boy friends before marriage…no
prizes for guessing…her marriage soon lay in shambles. Nothing quite like using common sense…sometimes.
Remember the good ole saying… when the good Lord buries your sins, in the deep blue sea, He posts a sign
“NO FISHING”! Oh yes, do restitute but I reiterate only SENSIBLY.
- Resolve: A God-centered resolution is taken on seeking and doing only that which pleases the Redeemer
(2 Cor 5:9).
A person who has undergone this 4-step rehab programme would not sin again normally
(I John 3:9), WHATEVER BE THE INCENTIVES
(including a guarantee that his sin would not be revealed to anyone). It is precisely, this kind of a person who would
receive the full share of Divine rewards rather than an individual who is “outwardly sinless” for fear of Government
punishment (like in Islamic countries) or any other human compulsion. By the way, is there anyone who needs to go
through this 4-step rehab programme…which constitutes genuine REPENTANCE? One need not be a hopeless alcoholic
to undergo this “programme”. Remember, every human being bearing the Adamic print, needs a spiritual regeneration.
So come one and come all to the Saviour.
Once He transforms you, hey you can be fully drunk of the Spirit…Holy Spirit
(Ephesians 5:18)!
By George! Living waters will flood your soul
(John 7:37-38)…
Rejoicing in the spiritual realm,
there is no harm in “raising a spiritual toast” (read with Bible in your hands) to the Savior! Hallelujah!
(Suresh Manoharan)
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