Is it okay to ....?

Yesterday was so long, I didn't write. I had a couple of missions, which required six hours of driving, and I simply for the first time in a long time didn't have a thought as the day began. Some will take much issue with that and cry out that I haven't had a thought for a long, long time.

But I digress.

I could write with sheer happiness that we've found a place to live in New Orleans. But we await final approval, and the pessimist in me sure says wait. So, I will wait to write that. Though I long to say that we found a place that accepts all our rescue pets, and me. That took time and worry to accomplish. I could write that I pray we will have an answer to someone else we would love to come live with us in New Orleans. But I won't. Not yet. I could write that it's costing me an arm and a leg. But I willingly give up the arm and the leg. But I won't write that, not yet.

I can write that we had a wonderfully productive meeting, my co-pastor Sione and myself, and have a short-term plan in place. It is a great, aggressive plan. And we're starting it before we're starting it. In fact, some preliminary work has begun. But inquiring minds won't to know before we're ready to let inquiring minds know, so I won't write about it at this time.

So, what do I write?

I saw a blog yesterday that asked the question, "Is it okay for a Christian to drink (alcohol)?"

I must have a minute or two on this.

Here's the issue, it seems: Any form of drunkenness is a sin. Anything that keeps us from our ability to hear the Lord is a sin. But ... there is no verse in the Bible that specifically says don't drink just as there is nothing in the Bible that says don't smoke cigarettes.

Jesus drank wine. Period. I am well aware that he drank a wine that we would say had little kick to it. But he drank wine.

But...

Paul's letter to the church in Corinth told us that we as Christians should not do anything that could be perceived as wrong. PERCEIVED.

Which brings us to social media. I recently saw a wonderful Christian man, a great pastor, one of the best, having a beer at what appeared to be a crawfish boil. It was a hot day, they're kicking back at a boil. The question is what would be perceived by those looking at the picture? The answer must be that it is in the eye of the beholder. Ours is not to judge, and all that. But man, what does it say, really say?

My first mentor told everyone he didn't mind having a glass of wine with a meal, and he didn't see anything wrong with that. So, to him obviously that wasn't a sin.

But I wonder. Aren't we to be set apart? I guess each of us must decide what that indeed means. For some, I know it would mean not attending certain movies. I know it would mean not taking a certain way. For some, I know it would mean not drinking alcohol or smoking. For some.

But for all?

Look, none of us are perfect, and what we do in our own lives is between God and ourselves, but I wouldn't think we would want to paste our possible imperfections on Facebook. It's, to me, a big ol' red arrow pointing to us saying, "Look at me. I drink. I'm just like you."

Just saying.

A caveat... Most if not all of my readers know I am a recovering alcoholic, smoker, convicted sinner. I say that only because I haven't drinker, smoked, or actively, willingly purposefully sinned in a long time. But I have sinned. I am not perfect in action to this day. The point is I am saved by the bloom of the Lamb just like everyone else who professes Jesus.

I understand what the Bible doesn't say. I'm working on what it does. That must be enough.