The year was 1986. I was working as an intern in a general hospital after completing my MBBS. In the general wards that I worked for 6 months, we took the opportunity to train ourselves to give injections & dress wounds of the patients, reducing some of the nurses work load. Sterilizing spirit was used as disinfectant to clean wounds and as antiseptic agent on the skin before giving injections. The spirit bottles would usually be empty when we checked them each morning though we would have left enough in the bottle when we left the previous evening.
On several such occasions we enquired of the staff what the matter was but instead of getting an adequate reply to our question the spirit bottles would be filled once again. We decided to get to the bottom of the matter and finally discovered that a certain wardboy was using the bitter drink to whet his appetite for liquor. Poverty and low wages seemed to have forced him to the habit of stealing spirit from the different wards rather than buying better drinks outside.
The fellow was just 25 years of age but had all the bodily signs of a chronic alcoholic –lean and thin body, unsteady gait, trembling fingers, a bloated abdomen and the rest. No one seemed to bother and he seemed to be enjoying himself when suddenly one day we found him on one of the hospital beds vomiting blood. There was not much that anyone could do those days considering the facilities and his poverty and all that was done proved futile and he died an untimely death very soon.
This story can be written thousands of times with the characters changed but with a similar end in many cases.
Alcohol has been a major cause of morbidity and morality in our country. Premature deaths, unproductive lives, destroyed families are the usual end result.
Most people start out to have a drink casually for pleasure, for enjoying company or for relieving stress. But once the habit catches on, it threatens to destroy a persons’ body, soul & spirit. Some never realize unless it too late and at that stage they are helpless because death would have already grabbed them with its deadly tentacles.
So, have you been drinking lately?
It’s better to stop before its too late. Perhaps you may laugh at my advice telling me to mind my own business. But wait a minute! Let me tell you some interesting stories about people who took to the vice and destroyed themselves and their families.
But for a moment, read this verse from the best selling book on earth – The Bible.
“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.”(Proverbs 20:1)
How interesting isn’t it?
This verse from the Bible describes the nature and potential evil of fermented drink. As you gulp it, it’s constantly mocking you of how it can overpower you soon and make you do things it wishes.
If that is the case, then the intoxicating drinks that you drink, have a power of their own. It’s an evil power or a power of darkness or evil spirit actually that mocks you as you have the drink. The evil spirit of Alcoholism has many slaves and perhaps you are one of them.
There are 1 peg slaves, 2 peg slaves and bottle slaves.
The “evil spirit of alcoholism”challenges the one drinking the intoxicating drink to do things that person would not even imagine of doing when he is sober. The Bible says “Beer is a brawler”
That proverb is self explanatory and has been acted out millions of times in all ages. Brawls, fights and killings all have resulted after people have temporarily ceased to think and reason properly because of the effect of alcohol on their brain. Once sober, many who drink are remorse and guilt ridden that they have hurt others – perhaps the wife or the children or friends. This guilt and repentant behavior lasts for varying periods in the person’s life and then once again the story runs the same course.
The “evil spirit of alcoholism”is cunning and catches its prey by the throat and will not usually let go unless God intervenes.
And God is always wishing to intervene if you go to him in all humility and tell him,
“Dear Jesus, I have a problem with alcohol. Help me and free me from its clutches.”
The Bible says,
“So if the Son (Jesus, son of God) sets you free, you will be free indeed.”(John 8: 36)
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