"Wine Is A Mocker"

The story is told of an unhappy woman who complained that her husband thought it funny to make her pet cat drunk by pouring gin into its milk. The distressed woman complained that the cat would dance, stagger around in circles, and finally fall in a heap in the corner and go to sleep. Additionally, the cat was losing its hair as a result of his drinking the gin.

When folks heard about the incident through the local news media, letters immediately began pouring in from aroused readers all over the country denouncing the husband and suggesting various degrees of punishment for a man who would be so cruel and inhumane to animals.

Although the reaction of the readers was entirely justified, let’s think about this: If we give an animal intoxicating liquor, we are considered cruel and inhumane, but if we give a human being liquor, we are considered sophisticated! Let him reel, act foolish, fall in a drunken stupor, and we simply ignore it! (note the deplorable condition of the drunk individual described in Proverbs 23:29-35).

While it is cruel and inhumane to give liquor to an animal, yet many people give it to their sons and daughters, business associates and friends. Along with all of the advertising media, they continually urge them to drink it. Remember, it’s not fit for an animal to consume (in fact, it’s inhumane), but it is fit for our children. Folks, how crazy can our society become?

Let’s remember what Solomon said about intoxicating beverages: “Wine is a mocker, Intoxicating drink arouses brawling, And whosoever is led astray by it is not wise” (Proverbs 20:1). Also note King Lemuel's mother warning him regarding "strong drink" (Proverbs 31:1-9).

—Mike Riley, Gospel Snippets

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