It was on this date in 1993 that I quit drinking. I chose March 24th because many of the most significant events in my life have happened on the 24th of the month. Janet and I were engaged on December 24, 1972 and we were married on August 24, 1973. Unfortunately, one of the saddest days also happened on March 24, 1972.
It was the day that my maternal grandfather passed away. Grandpa LaRue was someone my brothers and I loved beyond measure. He was a great role model for us, was a well known Chicago attorney and also at one time sat on the federal bench hearing bankruptcy cases. He was very active in our lives and I can’t begin to guess how many times I went to court with him and sat on the bench while he presided over cases. They are some of my fondest childhood memories.
We learned quite a bit from him. He was devoted to family and had a difficult early life. But one of the things that is most memorable for me is the fact that at the holidays people would give him bottles of alcohol as presents. When he came home, they went in a cupboard and were never opened. I’m sure that somewhere along the line, they were poured out. He would get boxes of bottles stacked up and then they would be gone.
I once asked him why he never drank alcohol. He said it went with the territory of being a responsible attorney and judge. He believed that people deserved to know that he was never impaired when he represented them and he didn’t want them to ever worry about his competency in court. Admittedly, I thought he went a little overboard with that idea, but as I got older and started to have trouble with drinking, his position made more sense to me. I never forgot that lesson.
In the beginning, I didn’t think that I had an issue. But I found myself wondering when my next chance to drink would be and when I had some test results that suggested I may be consuming too much alcohol, I knew it was time to take a hard look at myself and change my habits.
I quit cold turkey. I think in a very real sense, I was scared sober… By the way, that word “sober” is an interesting one – it means, quite simply, “an absence of alcohol.” It doesn’t mean “not drunk!” So I came to realize that if I even had one drink, I was no longer “sober.” No pun intended, that was a sobering thought and it did quite a bit to change my perspective. I’m sure that Grandpa’s position on drinking was also in the back of my mind. In part, I think I have been successful so far because I have always been committed to not disappointing him. Now, each year, I write a post on or near March 24th recalling my decision to quit. It helps me stay on track and celebrate the journey I have been on.
Another helpful thing happened to me in seminary. My classmates and I were charged with the responsibility to translate a Greek verse from the book of Ephesians. Paul, in this epistle, charged his congregation in Ephesus, his most theologically mature congregation, to be filled with the Holy Spirit rather than wine. Even as we were translating that passage of Scripture, it spoke to me and helped me stay true to my decision.
In fact, it didn’t seem to be that big of a deal to my classmates. I went to a very conservative seminary and none of my classmates drank. Neither did any of my professors and instructors. So the environment I was in helped me on a daily basis. When I was ordained, abstinence from alcohol was a prerequisite. And Janet, in an act of solidarity, also chose to follow a similar path. We both believed that ministry is what we refer to as a “team sport” and we like to be on the same page.
Tonight’s verse is the one that I have used for several years on this anniversary date. It is the verse that we translated that day in class so many years ago. Paul tells us, in Ephesians 5:18-21, “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit; Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…”
That’s a great word picture for me. My encouragement this evening is that God wants us to be filled with the Holy Spirit. As believers, we are indwelt by the Spirit and Paul is encouraging us to take full advantage of what that means. My prayer is that we won’t forget to sing hymns and psalms of praise as we honor our Savior. Have a great day in the Lord, grace and peace…