Taken from "Addictions - A Banquet in the Grave," by Ed Welch, "Notice the difference between 'I'm Jim. I'm an alcoholic' and 'I'm Jim. I am part of the body of Christ. I am part of a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God' (1Peter 2:9)."
A common theme has emerged for me in recent weeks as I've spent time at the Peoples City Mission, traveled to Walthill, thought about many of the struggles of Grace Chapel people and then thought about my own life- that theme is addiction. I recently finished Welch's book and it was really good, one I recommend that as many people as possible read.
Alcoholism has utterly devastated the lives of a huge percentage of people at Walthill. When one of the Native families gave their lives to Jesus last year, one of the areas they began working on (both husband and wife) was giving up "the bottle." Yet the problem of being ruled by the bottle is so great in Walthill that this couple explained that on a few occasions other tribal members would leave a six-pack of beer on their front porch tempting them to drink again, that at times they didn't even have food in the refrigerator (and the other tribal members knew it) but that beer would be left rather than food.
I've spent time at the Curtis Center at the Peoples City Mission. The Curtis Center is the transitional housing side of the PCM where men might live for one or more years, pay rent, participate in the various PCM programs until such a time as they can find housing in Lincoln. Whenever one of the men leaves for a few days, it is standard procedure to take a UA to see if they have been "clean" during the time of being away. Most recently, I was hanging out with Chuck who directs the Curtis Center and one of the men came back from a trip only to test positive for cocaine, alcohol and a few other things as well.
I've pastored Grace Chapel people for eight years now and maybe it goes without saying but the number of men who struggle with addiction to internet pornography is quite high. My own history here is not "clean" either as one who learned about the "birds and the bees" during the early teen years primarily by watching porn (this was my introduction to the subject of sex).
Alcohol, drugs and porn- typical things we think about as we think of "addictions." Yet how many of us are addicted to things we might not think of readily as "terrible addictions"? Being addicted to success? To counting our money? Comfort? To having a sterling reputation? Being thought of in a certain way? To exercise? To work? To the approval of others? Food (even healthy food)? Control? Eating at a certain time every day (anyone here turn into a monster when having missed a meal?)? Things? Hobbies? Our way of doing things? Being right? Does not the list go on and on?
How many of us have lived with certain desires that at times mastered us more than Christ? Can any of us honestly say that we know nothing of the apostle Paul's experience in Romans 7:15, "I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate to do"? As Ed Welch says on pg. 14 of his book, "Scripture always stretches categories so that they include us all. . . . What can own you besides Christ?" You see, the underlying problem with addiction is idolatry, giving our hearts to the desires that rule us apart from the reign of Christ in our lives. And who among us lives with a heart engaged for Jesus loving Him perfectly at all times and in every way? Anyone? Anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller? Bueller?
My friends, you cannot tell someone who drowns his sorrows in strong drink simply to "cut it out." What happens to the Native person who thinks about the time when everything was taken from his people, when the men of his tribe were no longer able to protect and defend their women and children (some are still alive who faced these terrible injustices you know?) and the anger, bitterness and heartache begin to settle in once again? What does he do with that unceasing anger and sorrow? He numbs it with alcohol. And you are going to tell him to "cut it out"? C'mon guys, sometimes when the pain of the memory is so great, don't you see that maybe it feels better to be drunk than sober?
But what if you tell that guy, you know there is a friend and Savior who absorbed all the injustice you have known, also all the injustice you have ever committed and every injustice the world has ever known and did so without objection (Isa. 53:7) so that you might know: 1) His great love for you and 2) His promise to judge the earth one day righting every injustice ever, . . . but that in the meantime He wants you to trust Him and have your heart forged in this fiery trial so that you might know a kind of life that you never dared dream possible? In the midst of your sadness, I know the bottle is like a momentary feast, but it's only a banquet in the grave dude (I've been hanging out with Ben Loos so must employ the 'dude' language). He is the drink who satisfies all other thirsts that you might truly be free, controlled by no one or substance, only by the One who wants to set us free to live in the fullness of how we were meant to live. So the invitation of the prophet Isaiah is now the invitation of Jesus, the prophet of God par excellence (Hebrews 1:1,2), "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost" (Isa. 55:1).
So is Mike Hsu an addict? The term is a complicated one- it has so many varying associations attached to it. Let me respond in this way, "Mike Hsu is even worse than an addict. He is an idolater of the first degree." Yet Mike Hsu's life is found in a Sovereign and a Savior who has loved him and given his life for him. Growing in this incredible reality moves me, changes me and transforms me (some days more so than others) and giving myself to it is the only way I know how to battle and defeat my own uncontrollable desires as well as lead others to doing so.
"Hi. I'm Mike (you say . . . 'hi Mike'). . . . I am part of the body of Christ. I am part of a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God."
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