Proverbs 23:29-25 (NLT)
29 Who has anguish? Who has sorrow? Who is always fighting? Who is always complaining? Who has unnecessary bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes? 30 It is the one who spends long hours in the taverns, trying out new drinks. 31 Don't let the sparkle and smooth taste of wine deceive you. 32 For in the end it bites like a poisonous serpent; it stings like a viper. 33 You will see hallucinations, and you will say crazy things. 34 You will stagger like a sailor tossed at sea, clinging to a swaying mast. 35 And you will say, "They hit me, but I didn't feel it. I didn't even know it when they beat me up. When will I wake up so I can have another drink?"

The Wisdom of Solomon portrayed in the words of proverbs. Here Solomon speaks about those who allow themselves to be controlled by the temptation of alcohol. He lists off some of the long term repercussions; hallucinations, crazy talk, staggering, being involved in fights, addiction to the drink. And for this there is always anguish, sorrow, and regrettably fighting, complaining, bruises and bloodshot eyes.

This wisdom in these verses probably could have been reviewed by one famous actor this past week as his drinking got out of control. Mel Gibson had been at a restaurant in Malibu Beach where pictures were taken showing him in an inebriated state. He later was stopped by a law enforcement officer and arrested under a DUI charge, during which he supposedly made derogatory ethic comments. He is not the first actor to have charges like these brought against him, but he is a Christian actor who put the movie “The Passion of Christ” in the forefront of communities as a testimony of God’s salvation. He is an actor who struggled with sin and lost the battle at a time when it would be helpful to see Christian actors stand firm in their faith. In Revelations 14:8 it says, “Then another angel followed him through the skies, shouting, "Babylon is fallen--that great city is fallen--because she seduced the nations of the world and made them drink the wine of her passionate immorality."; its easy to taste of immorality, any of us can do it at anytime. And once the taste of immorality has touched us, we need to beware the consequences, just as Solomon spelled them out above for those who pursue an addiction of alcohol. Beware temptations and call upon Christ to save you from them. Are you living in Christ’s power or trying to handle things your way? Pray that Christ would step in when you are tempted and turn you from sin. If it’s a struggle with addiction, pray that Christ would reveal the pains and emotions driving the addiction. Pray for a healing only Christ can provide.