“Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise.”

Thankfully, neither of these has ever been an issue for me. They have been issues in the lives of people close to me. I read an article today that said drinking one glass of a sweetened drink a day—soda, sweet tea, lemonade, or any other sweetened drink—triples your risk of cancer in your lifetime. Yikes! I remember when they were telling us that artificial sweeteners quadrupled the risk of cancer. And I just don’t like water. I know—first-world problem. Prior to reading the article about sweetened drinks, the message about alcohol and sweeteners other than sugar was to just have them in moderation and they wouldn’t hurt you. Some even suggested that a glass of wine could be good for your health. That science has actually been blown up, but it still helps to believe it, or at least it makes enjoying a glass of wine less stressful. I need to say right here that I am a teetotaler who is OK with people following their conscience and having alcohol as part of their life. Again, it’s the excess that this speaks to. But here’s the thing: I was a diabetic for 40 years. As bad as those other things might be, there was nothing worse for me than overdoing it on ice cream or candy bars. And because of that, I have thankfully avoided the three-times risk from sugary drinks. In other words, anything can be done in excess, and other than worshiping God, none of it is particularly good. And a lot of it can do serious harm. We are called to a life of self-discipline and service. Both of those can also be done in extreme, but seldom is. Today, ask God what belongs in your life, to what degree, and then obey. #BeTheEdge

“It is good to grasp the one and not let go of the other. Whoever fears God will avoid all extremes.” Ecclesiastes‬ ‭7‬:‭18‬ ‭NIV‬‬