Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes?  Those who linger long over wine, Those who go to taste mixed wine.  Proverbs 23:29-30

We are about to read one of the most amazing sections of Proverbs that there is.  These next seven verses are one of the most poignent commentaries on alcohol and drinking that there is in Scripture.  It is also one of the most plain statements against getting drunk.  I am not one who states that the Biblical view is complete abstinence from alcohol - simply because Scripture itself does not state that.  The Bible teaches us to steer clear from getting drunk.  It also warns against lingering long over wine - and I would also argue that the Bible militates against the whole "party culture" that exists in our society today.  My own personal stance is complete abstinence from alcohol.  The reason for this is because I've led at least two men to Christ who were alcoholics.  If I were to drink - and they were to follow my example - there is good reason to be concerned that they would be ruined by my abuse of my freedom in Christ.  Therefore, rather than make my brothers stumble, I will renounce my freedom to have anything to do with alcohol.

This passage though is about abuse of alcohol.  It asks a series of questions that are all rhetorical in nature.  They are this way because they have to do with the consequences of alcohol in someone's life who is abusing it.  Who has woe?  The answer is the alcohol abuser.  Woe means to have a horrific distress.  Take a close look at the drunkard and you will find plenty of woe and sorrow in his life.  There are so many ways that this happens - through broken relationships - through wasted lives - through the regret and horror of the aftermath of a drunken driving accident or arrest.  There is so much sorrow from the immediate consequences - as well as the long term ones that come out of drinking and drunkenness.  But too often men want to make it look as if these are rare consequences rather than the norm of alcohol abuse.

The next set of two questions here deal with the issue of contentions and complaining.  Unfortunately, before I came to Christ, I was often in parties where the abuse of alcohol was frequent.  I can tell you from experience that the contentions and complaining are very much true.  Guys would break out into fights and would have major altercations when they were drunk.  I remember one friend who not only had a fight, but was beaten bloody and shot before the night was over.  He survived, but the gunshot wound is still in his body to this day as a monument to his stupidity and drunken lack of sense.  The complaining usually comes from those who have to deal with the drunk.  Their wives complain of their actions.  Their children complain of their actions.  Their employer complains of their alcohol abuse.  They all feel the effects of the lack of self-control - and in some cases the anger that comes with a drunk stumbling into the home.  It is a sad but true fact that many men return home to beat their wives and children in their drunken state.  Their complaining is testimony to a man who has lost all self-control and who is slowly ruining his life.

The next couplet here has to do with questions about wounds and redness of eyes. The wounds come from stumbling around drunk - running into things and injuring oneself.  They may come from fights and their aftermath.  The redness of eyes comes in the morning when the drunk gets up and faces the difficulty of recovering from the previous evening's activities.  Not only is there redness of eyes - but there is also a pounding headache - and at times a stomach that is sick from the alcohol of the previous night. 

These things are all said of those who "linger long over wine."  This speaks of someone who drinks - and stays at a place where they serve them.  These are the men who stay at bars well into the night.  They may start at happy hour and not finish his drinking until after midnight.  The drunk may have 5 to 10 drinks as he pours out the problems he has with the bar tender.  He lingers long over a beer or a hard drink - and has another when he is done.  The passage here also says that there are those who go to taste "mixed wine."  Mixed wine refers to ways that men would mix wine with other things to make it better - and often to make it more intoxicating.  It would in some ways refer to the way that men mix drinks in bars today. 

We are going to get a pretty good picture of the drunk over the next several days.  We are going to see his actions as well as the consequences of them.  We are going to hear warnings against the things that he does.  We will hear warnings about alcohol and the way that it can lure someone into its trap.  We will hear about how alcohol promises one thing, yet delivers something quite different.  We will also see that when we give ourselves over to this habit and this abuse, we will find that it is a trap that shuts over us and does much to bring great destruction in our lives.  The wise man knows that wine and strong drink are deadly and deceptive.  That is why he stays away from them.

A joyful heart makes a cheerful face, But when the heart is sad, the spirit is broken. Proverbs 15:13

The state of our hearts is vitally important to the way that we live - and whether we will live in joy or sadness.  Also, as we will learn from this passage, the state of our countenance is also something about which we should be concerned.  To say that we are Christians and know God's joy, yet for this joy never to reach our face (i.e. our countenance) is a bad testimony to those around us - and especially to the lost.  This proverb holds a great deal of wisdom for us if we will open it and learn from it. 

First, we have the joyful heart.  This heart is the one filled with joy and as a result is exceedingly glad.  This gladness does not come from mere human prosperity - but truly comes from and is maintained by the blessings of the Lord.  In the New Testament this joy comes from knowing Christ Jesus and the salvation that He brings to us.  It comes from knowing that God loves us and that we are saved from the wrath of God through Him.  This is a joy that floods our hearts no matter what our outward circumstances.  It is a joy, as Peter expresses it, that causes us to greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory.  The foundation of this joy - obtaining the outcome of our faith - which is the salvation of our souls (1 Peter 1:8-9).  This joyful heart communicates with our countenance - and brings us to have a cheerful face.  No matter our circumstances we can stop and remember that our sins are washed away - that we are made righteous in Christ - and that as a result - we are saved.  That can bring a cheerful expression to any face. 

I find it disturbing that some are what I would call, "lemon-sucking Christians."  They seldom have a joyful or cheerful expression on their face.  They always seem sour about something.  It is almost that they are unwilling to be happy and joyful.  This is a horrible witness to Christ and to the salvation that He brings.  Sure there are things about which I am concerned - even heartbroken.  But, in spite of everything that happens and can happen - the one constant is my salvation - that I will not face the wrath of God and I will enjoy fellowship with God here and now - and forever in heaven. 

Then there is the sad heart.  The word used for "sad" here is "assebet" which clearly refers to emotional suffering - and not usually to pain or injury.  This is a sadness of heart.  It is truly fascinating to look at what brings on "assebet" in someone Scripturally.  This kind of sadness or grief is caused by idolatry (Psalm 16:4),  by a fear of spiritual discipline over our sin (Job 9:28), or by those who "wink the eye" in evil plots (Prov. 10:10).  Some might refer to this to speak of someone with a broken heart over sin or over the loss of a loved one - but that is not the way that "assebet" is used Scripturally.  This is a sadness brought on by disobedience, sinfulness, and a walk contrary to the ways of God.  This kind of sadness causes our spirits to be broken.  The word "broken" here means that we are stricken, smited, or scourged.  We have a bad situation in our lives due to sin - and our spirits are broken due to the consequences of our sin. 

When you look at this proverb and the meanings of the words used in it, you see that wisdom therefore is to walk with God.  When we do joy will come to us - and our countenance, our face will reflect it.  But to walk in disobedience and rebellion is to invite a brokenness and sadness into our lives which will fill our hearts with emotional suffering.  How many in our world walk in this kind of suffering every day.  But, dear saints of God, we can alleviate this suffering by sharing the gospel with them and encouraging them to come to Christ - Who can deliver them from their sin and flood their hearts with His own joy.  This Proverb truly helps us to see the difference between the lost and the saved - between those who embrace obedience to God versus those who mock such a lifestyle.  The difference is the Source of their joy.  The difference between a sad countenance - and a cheerful one - is the gospel and the joy of knowing that we are saved.

Even in laughter the heart may be in pain, And the end of joy may be grief. Proverbs 14:13

To read a face is easy - but to read someone's heart is far more difficult.  In today's proverb we learn that lesson.  Even when someone is laughing - their heart may still be in pain.  Just because someone paints a smile on their face - it does not always serve as a guarantee of what is happening in their hearts.  We are also counselled that the end of joy may be grief.  This is why we need to not read every person by what they showing on their faces.  

I remember a brother in Christ who used to ask me how I was doing.  One time I answered him that I was doing fine, even thought I was not on the inside.  Then he looked at me and said, "Really how are you doing - and this time tell me the truth."  It was then that I opened up to him and told him that I was not doing so good.  He took the time to really know what was going on in my heart - and then took the time to minister to me.  He was such a blessing in this way.  Where others would just take things at face value and move on - he really did what to know what is going on in someone's life.  It opened up a great deal of ministry for him.  

There are times when we will have to get past the facade that people put on for us.  If we do not, they will not open up and we will not be able to minister to their true situation.  So do not be deceived, even by laughter and supposed joy and mirth.  These can be real - but they can also be camouflage to keep people at an arm's length - when in reality they truly need someone to push through so that their pain can be addressed by the love of someone who truly cares.