Beech Tree News Network

  This last week (9/27/16), the cities of Morgantown, Rochester, and Woodbury had yet another vote concerning expanding the sale of alcohol into our community. Sadly, alcohol sales won by a total of 119 votes in three towns. Just eight short months ago, the people voted “no” to expanding alcohol sales in the county, which obviously included these three cities. Yet, it has now won the day in the Morgantown, Rochester, and Woodbury. This is no reason to celebrate. Expanded alcohol sales do not bring health and wealth, but sickness and poverty in the lives of individuals. Some suggest incidents of drunken driving decrease when someone has less miles to drive to purchase alcohol. At best, such a statistic only applies to someone living in town. What of the traveler on his way to another town? What of those in the county? Can we trust this person to promise to not drink alcohol until he gets home? That argument over drunk driving statistics breaks down quickly.

    Stronger than statistics are the words of the Bible. Solomon said, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” (Prov. 20:1, KJV). Other versions translate it this way:

•    “Wine causes mocking, and beer causes fights; everyone led astray by them lacks wisdom” (International Standard Version).
•    “Drinking too much makes you loud and foolish. It's stupid to get drunk” (Good News Bible).
•    “Wine is an intemperate thing, and strong drink full of violence: but every fool is entangled with them” (Brenton’s English Septuagint).

    Regardless of the version we use, the statement is essentially the same. Some have had to learn the “hard way” about this subject. Those folks now realize that Solomon was right all along. Involving ourselves in drinking alcohol is a foolish thing. It has always been this way. It is foolish for an individual, for a city, for a county, for a state, etc., to be involved in alcohol.

    Some may point to the money that will be earned by the sale of alcohol as a positive thing. Yes, there is a financial gain for some from alcohol sales. There is also financial gain to be made in selling other drugs. Why not do that, too? There are financial gains to be made in selling pornography. Some make financial gains by selling their bodies. If financial gain is our only purpose, then why not allow our cities to go into these other “industries”? The apostle Paul told Timothy, “For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows” (I Tim. 6:10). Will we listen to the apostle Paul on this issue? The love of money produces all kinds of evil. When we covet money and make it our number one goal, we as a people will justify alcohol sales, or any other kind of sales in order to make the next dollar. After all, all we are doing is supplying a “need.” Some may reason that if that person doesn’t buy “x” from me, he will buy it from someone else. Is that how we justify things? Read I Timothy 6:10 again.

    It is past time for us to take a good hard look at ourselves (II Cor. 13:5). Expanding alcohol sales can make a temporary profit, but is this going to be our only goal and objective in these towns? Are we ready to pay the price for expanding alcohol sales? It is coming (Gal. 6:7-8).

 -- Jarrod Jacobs preaches with the Caneyville church of Christ in Caneyville, KY. He can be reached at (270) 589-4167.