Trouble with Drinkin' Thinkin'

Trouble with Drinkin’ Thinkin’

 

Ephesians 5:15-20

Filled with the Spirit

5:15 Be careful then how you live, not as unwise people but as wise,

5:16 making the most of the time, because the days are evil.

5:17 So do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

5:18 Do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

5:19 as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts.

5:20 giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,

Paul, in Romans 7:15-19:

I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree that the law is good. But in fact it is no longer I who do it but sin that dwells within me. For I know that the good does not dwell within me, that is, in my flesh. For the desire to do the good lies close at hand, but not the ability. For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do. 

 

Do you ever feel this way? The Apostle seems to be blaming it all on sin, and I’m sure it has a big part in us having trouble NOT doing the “wrong thing,” and too easily doing it, as well as us struggling to do the “RIGHT thing,” when we want to do it! There are popular preachers out there who call this “STINKIN’ THINKIN’. Today, I might label it, “DRINKIN’ Thinkin’, as there are forces at work that may be leading us astray, and these are some of the things Paul is addressing in this passage from Ephesians.

 

Drinkin’ thinkin’ can be anything that may cause us to respond to people, places, things, or ideas in a manner that is not fully “with it,” kind of like if we have drunk too much wine. Of course, drinking too much wine will do that, as Paul states in the Ephesians passage. He labels that “debauchery,” which is a translation of the Greek word, asotia, which may also be rendered as “dissipation.” I like dissipation better, as often folk who may just have a few too many at a gathering or a party are probably not guilty of anything as horrible sounding as “debauchery.” Please don’t think I’m going light on them, as this is still not a very God-glorifying behavior, and if they choose to get behind the wheel of a car afterwards, it is more than criminal. If drinking to excess is habitual, that person may have a disease that requires treatment, which we call alcoholism. If even the occasional over-imbibing gives rise to lascivious behavior, sexual harassment, or potentially deadly actions such as driving while intoxicated, THIS could make the case for “debauchery” being in play. However, if we move away from these more dangerous or disrespectful behaviors, we could make a case for “dissipation.” To “dissipate” oneself means to “use up” or “lessen,” which is where I want to go as we examine this Ephesians text. What ARE the things that keep us from living as “wise” people who stay in love with God and resist straying into doing the very things we know we should NOT do? And what prevents us from doing that which we know we SHOULD be doing with our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service and our witness? Dissipation is one of these things. Drinking too much “wine” dulls our senses and our ability to respond appropriately to others around us, for example—it “lessens” us. Whether it rises to the level of an addiction or not, abuse of alcohol dissipates. So does any use of illicit drugs, or “recreational” use of prescription medications. I’ll show my colors here, but I am also of the opinion that “recreational” use of cannabis does the same thing. And medical science is beginning to sound some alarms about the long-term effects of its use, as well. Friends, think of some of the “slang” terms we apply for smoking “dope.” Even these should send a less than subtle signal that asotia may be taking place. In summary, let’s just agree that, while any of these activities may be “fun” and even “stress reducing,” in limited amounts, and in limited frequency, the fact is, they may also “lessen” our ability to connect with the divine, and disconnect us from God when we most need the divine presence. This is precisely why Paul writes, “Do not be drunk with wine…but be filled with the Spirit.” 

 

Distraction is also something that can cut us off from good stuff, including our faithful discipleship. As kids, we all knew that gazing out the window and fantasizing about what we would do when we got home from school could cause us to miss an essential lesson the teacher was giving about fractions! Then, that night, when we were doing our homework, we found ourselves clueless, and had to call upon our parents, who CERTAINLY didn’t remember the fractions lesson, either. As adults, life is full of enticing distractions! As a retiree, I made myself a written, weekly “curriculum” to keep me from just filling my days with meaningless distractions. My “bucket list,” or “things I want to learn when I retire” lists were well populated. This curriculum has helped, but I’m here to tell you, the distractions come in DROVES, and it is “work” staying with the program. I have started doing some painting, am doing more writing, have enjoyed a fairly recent foray into astronomy, have kept up my reading, and we have been diligent to maintain our physical health. We have traveled more often to see our grandchildren, and spent three weeks with our son in Alaska. However, I have not engaged my photography as much as I had hoped, I have rarely played my guitar, and have scarcely touched my coronet, and I had hoped to increase my proficiency on both. About the only thing I can say that I have kept those “sinful” distractions from impacting is my sermon writing. I have YET to miss a week of writing a sermon based on a lectionary passage of my choice, and now that I am serving a church part-time in retirement, some form of these messages is getting to an audience beyond my P.R.O.D blog. (P.R.O.D. stands for “Post-Retirement Observations and Delusions,” and may be found at www.sterlings.org) Again, all I’m saying here is that you don’t need chemicals to become sidetracked from the best that God has in store for you! Even simple distractions, when given life by our volition, can do the job just fine!

 

So what else does the Apostle warn us might separate us from God and our best judgment? Here’s a new word for you—“Duncing.” The word “dunce” was at one time used to describe someone who wasn’t at the head of the class. Cartoons were drawn of the class “dunce” sitting on a stool in a corner wearing a conical had with the word, “DUNCE,” emblazoned on it. Thankfully, labeling someone a “dunce” is an insult that is passing from the lexicon, but my “new” verb—“duncing”—I think does a nice job of combining two things Paul flags: being “unwise” and “foolish.” “Duncing” may define either foolish or unwise activity, either of which, or both, can put us at odds with God AND our own desired or favored outcome in any situation. Duncing is most certainly akin to “drinkin’ thinkin,’ only without the artificially induced stupor. As a pastor, I have been dumbfounded on occasion when a counselee or church-related confidant told me of something they said or did, or about an inappropriate relationship they had unwisely entered into. My first reaction, at least in my own mind, was, “WHAT were you thinking?” While any of us can make mistakes, and even lower our guard and do something stupid, some people seem to have an unusual talent for “duncing.” So often, such unwise or foolish behavior serves to cut them off from friends, family, the church, or even God. In some cases it is shame that performs the surgery, while in others, the “duncing” involves burning bridges with others. Once burned, these bridges—let’s just say TRUST—is very, very hard to rebuild. 

 

Like Paul says in the Romans 7 passage, none of us is immune from doing or saying stuff that is less than wise—possibly even foolish—that derails us from doing the “right” or prudent thing. While some seem to be “Olympic” caliber “duncers,” duncing certainly can be an equal opportunity endeavor. Science has uncovered an interesting phenomenon called the “Dunning-Kruger Effect,” which is defined as: “a cognitive bias whereby people with limited knowledge or competence in a given intellectual or social domain greatly overestimate their own knowledge or competence in that domain relative to objective criteria or to the performance of their peers or of people in general.” In short, some folk delve so far into incompetence, they are not able to recognize that they are really not GOOD at what they do, and may even become deluded to believe THEY are the only ones doing it right! Talk about drinkin’ thinkin’! 

 

Our society doesn’t help with this stuff, in many cases. First of all, we push personal freedoms and rights to such a degree that some folk lose sight of a world populated by more than themselves, their desires, and their ambitions. This kind of self-centered behavior is often rewarded, rather than flagged as detrimental to a caring society. School officials can attest to the fact that the behavior of some parents, who defend the actions of their children even when provably askance from the rules or even human decency, only escalates future negative behavior. Even in the church, boorish behavior in board meetings on the part of those wanting their own way can do far more damage to the faith community than just the off-putting spectacle it initially institutes. It’s one thing when our “drinkin’ thinkin’” gets US into hot water or puts us into a difficult predicament, but quite another when it creates a problem for others. 

 

Paul loved the church in Ephesus, and had a hand in both its founding and its leadership. He didn’t want to see anything bad happen to its people, or for that faith community to come crashing down because of negative, faith-severing activity. His “don’t be drunk with wine” warning is about far more than just a self-induced hangover, as we’ve seen. His encouragement to be “filled with the Spirit” as an alternative applies just as much to us Christ-followers today as it did then. So, how do we GET “filled with the Spirit”? First of all, we must yield to God’s counsel and the Spirit’s lead, as found in the pages of scripture, and in the “better angels” of the church. Paul next suggests that the fellowship and praise found in corporate worship gatherings is another sure way to be “in touch” with God’s Holy Spirit. Living in gratitude is another attitude Paul suggests here, but you will see it peppered throughout his broad scriptural writings. Being thankful for everything is a sure guard against focusing on what you DON’T have, which far too often turns to envy, ingratitude, and a bad dose of drinkin’ thinkin’. 

 

Living apart from Christian community, in Paul’s mind, may lead to a distorted view of reality, including distorted, even inappropriate views of what God “owes” us in life. This then institutes a vicious cycle of being angry with God for these “slights,” and then withdrawing from the community gathered in God’s name. When Paul suggests “giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything,” he is trying to plant the seeds of a very different kind of response, even to the disappointments or disasters we may face in life. IF we culture being filled with the Spirit by cultivating a gracious spirit even when things go off the rails, this leads to a yielding to God and God’s Spirit, trusting them to join us in our moment of need. The writer of the beloved Christian hymn, It Is Well with My Soul, Horatio Spafford, lived this principle to the Nth degree. He had had several severe financial downturns in his real estate business, and decided to take his family to Europe for a vacation from the stress. At the last minute, he had to stay in New York, but he sent his wife, Anna, and his four daughters on ahead on a steamship, planning to join them later. On the way over, the ship was struck and sank. Anna survived by clinging to a floating plank, but their four daughters died in the accident, including an infant that was pulled from Anna’s arms by a wave. Hearing of the tragedy, Spafford set sail for Europe to join his wife, who was recuperating in a hospital. On the way over, the captain of Spafford’s ship pointed out the very spot where his daughters were lost at sea. Spafford went back to his cabin and wrote:

 

When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,

When sorrows like sea billows roll;

Whatever my lot, Thou has taught me to say,

It is well, it is well with my soul.

 

None of us is Horatio Spafford, nor are we the Apostle Paul! However, we can learn from their words and their example, which might just help us avoid the distortion, deferring, and even destruction that come from “drinkin’ thinkin’.” Remember the words of Paul from Philippians 4:8: 

 

Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things.

 

Amen.