Side Effects

(Proverbs 23:35 KJV)  They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again.

In the days of Solomon you had fewer mild altering substances than you do today, but you did have them.  If Solomon were writing today I can’t help but think that he would mention marijuana and the palate of drugs people are taking on a regular basis.  For most people alcohol would have been the drug of choice. 

One of the problems with drugs, be they prescription, over the counter or back alley, is that they often cause more damage than they remedy.  Take almost any medication and you will find a list of side effects.  I will grant you that much of the print is legal jargon to keep from getting sued but there are some serious possibilities.  I am taking a blood thinner.  The most serious warning is that you bleed easier and clot slower.  It can happen internally so you don’t even know it.  That is a problem.

So?  Sin usually does not come with a list of side effects.  You may need to do your own research.  Drive down to where the homeless encampments are in your neighborhood and ask yourself, “How many of these people has access to drugs?”  Be aware of the rewards of unrighteousness.