Addiction is the bondage to the rule of a substance, activity or state of mind, which then becomes the center of life. Proverbs 23:29-35 deals with one very common and well-known addiction: the addiction to alcohol.
Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long at the wine, those who go in search of mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup when it swirls around smoothly; At the last, it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things, and your heart will utter perverse things. Yes, you will be like one who lies down in the midst of the sea, or like one who lies at the top of the mast, saying: “They have struck me, but I was not hurt; They have beaten me, but I did not feel it. When shall I awake, that I may seek another drink?”
We note that for this person, alcohol is appealing. He is being counselled in verse 31 not to look at the wine when it is red and when it sparkles, precisely because alcohol is appealing and captivating to him. Note it is ‘to him’. It may not appeal to others, but to him, it is captivating!
We note that for this person, alcohol leads him to irrational behaviour. See verses 33-35. He may be a very eloquent person, but under the influence of alcohol, he spouts rubbish. He may be a very skilful footballer, but when alcohol controls him, he can’t even walk straight. In other words, the thing that one is addicted to – alcohol, in this case – make a fool out of him!
We note that for this person, his craving for alcohol is irresistible. Alcohol has affected him badly, pained him greatly, yet at the next available moment, he will want it (See verse 35c). In fact, as verse 30 puts it, he will search for wine, he will be restless until he finds and gets his next bottle!
Alcohol addiction is just one of many addictions. Our teens have identified the following other kinds of addictions:
- Drugs Shopping Work Gaming
- Pornography Comfort Food Gambling Pain (Self-injury)
- Shoplifting Extreme Sports Dieting Exercise
- Internet Study(!) Money Pleasure
I believe the list above is not exhaustive. The thing about addictions is that we love it/them and we use it/them to gain something for ourselves. We use it/them to deal with our problems, to calm our fears, or as the means to obtain happiness/peace/security. We believe we cannot be happy without it/them. The language of an addict is: “More, more, just one more!” or “If only I have _______, then I would/could be truly happy.” Before long, we are controlled by it/them, and in fact, we will come to the point where we dare not give it/them up, even when it//them bring(s) us more pain than pleasure. In short, addictions deliver a bodily experience fast, and so we love it! But given time, they take over our life and call the shots! We become enslaved, trapped, imprisoned, and we cannot escape!
2 Peter 2:19 says, “While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage.” While this is speaking of false teachers, the principle holds true for addictions. Once that thing overcomes us, we have become its slaves! The root issue of addiction is “Lordship” – who is Lord of my life?
A is for Addictions. A is also for Adoration! The answer to addictions is adoration. The truth is that we are people who are instinctively and compulsively worshippers. If we fail to worship God, if we are not attracted to and dazzled by God, then we will worship something else, we will be addicted to and dazzled by others. In short, we need to see the glory of God, so that we fall down before Him and adore. “My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness, and my mouth shall praise You with joyful lips,” says Psalm 63:5. “Blessed is the man You choose and cause to approach You, that he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, of Your holy temple,” says Psalm 65:4. When we have truly tasted our God and are satisfied in Him, no other things in this world will appeal to us anymore!
WEI En Yi