Is Celebrity Toxic? Intoxication
Wine is a mocker, strong drink is a brawler, and whoever is led astray by it is not wise.
Proverbs 20:1 (NKJV)
And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit.
Ephesians 5:18 (NKJV)
For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles--when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries.
1 Peter 4:3 (NKJV)
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?'
Proverbs 23:32-35 (NKJV)
Drug and alcohol abuse is deadly, but what about a friendly drink of wine? Certainly, Jesus, as a Man, drank it. His first public miracle featured wine.
The grave danger is intoxication: ‘a delirium of high emotions or anesthetic of no emotion.’ Intoxicants hit us differently. But either way, we abandon good sense…
As we ditch conscience and/or consciousness.*
Intoxication promises escape, but whatever we’re trying to escape is bigger and badder when we wake up.
Why? The power of evil grows when ignored. Running away depletes our energy. We identify ourselves as victims. Naturally, THE predator moves in!
My problem with some celebrities is how they glamorize their reckless acts. They make intoxication look so cool: like a rite of passage into the world, like a badge of freedom for any kid with the courage to step up to the bar. But…
Every drink, pill, sniff, puff or injection can bind the immature and unaware to a desperate life of misery.
What is intoxication’s antidote?
In one small word: JOY. 'Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit' (Romans 15:13).
In one action plan: CLOSE FELLOWSHIP with GOD and proven friends.
Consider David: certainly a Bible celebrity. He suffered insults, the wrath of a king, the death of a child, the loss of a throne, family problems, and big betrayals… that would headline modern tabloids today.
The Psalms describe his anguish in detail. But he knew how to end his misery:
When you give ‘Your worries and cares to God’ (1 Peter 5:7), you break the crutch of intoxication. Here’s what David said:
'The Lord is my Strength and my Shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise Him' (Psalm 28:7).
'Then David danced before the Lord with all his might' (2 Samuel 6:14).
Is Celebrity Toxic? Intoxication (Part 8)
* On rare occasions, I’ve been intoxicated. But only and ALWAYS with family: people of conscience and consciousness, who made sure I was okay, did nothing stupid, and got safely to bed. I do NOT recommend for every good and godly reason.
* I advise Christians who drink to do so moderately and occasionally- not by need and not by habit.
* I advise Christian performers toward caution and moderation at business or social gatherings. Where encounters with strangers are concerned (and no trusted friend is with you), personally, I would not drink. But if you do, be careful not to get intoxicated and not to leave drinks unattended.
NOTE: This is a 2023 update of a 2013 Carey Lewis Devotion. You may see notes to 'Actors, Models & Talent for Christ.' If you think you're not in show business, think again. Shakespeare said, 'All the world's a stage and all its men and women merely players. Mostly true. But you're not merely players. You are messengers and ambassadors for the King of kings.