Wine is a mocker and beer a brawler; whoever is led astray by them is not wise (Proverbs 20:1).

Christmas is the time of the year when we eat too much, drink too much, spend too much money, waste too much time lazing in front of the television, or conversely spend too much time getting wound up about the holiday's nostalgic factor... Doesn't that seem to be about the way that it goes these days?  But I'm not trying to badmouth Christmas; it's a beautiful holiday which I actually enjoy very much.  What I am trying to figure out is why we seem to be so programmed for excess.

The 20th chapter of Proverbs seems to be engaged in the same question.  Not only does it warn us of the excesses of food (v. 17), drink (v. 1), hyper-materialism (v. 14-15), sleep (v. 13), and zeal (v. 25) -- those most classic of holiday vices...  Proverbs 20 also warns us of the dangers of excessive talking (v. 19) and even excessive financial prosperity (v. 21).  And in all of these areas, it effectively begs us to consider the very real possibilities of problems when we get too much of a good thing.  I don't know if any of these things are inherrently bad, in and of themselves, but when we take them to excess they become problematic.  They start to control us, and they bring about destruction rather than benefit.

Wine and beer are some of the most obvious examples of this.  In and of themselves, they're fine.  A glass of Italian wine with some Italian pasta can be very satisfying.  Drinking a pint of beer with a friend in a pub can be a very pleasurable social activity.  But overindulgence happens easily, and when that line is crossed -- from moderation to excess -- we are quickly led astray.  Our speech becomes harsher and bolder.  Our inhibitions are depressed to the point that we do really stupid stuff.  Foolish stuff, that we'd never do under ordinary circumstances.  Thus the consequences of our drunken decisions can follow us for a long time afterwards, and we can find ourselves living with regrets that we'd really rather not have.  I'm not saying that we need to be tee-totalers (though for some people, such a black-and-white distinction may be necessary).  But I am saying that we need to choose wisdom over the things that can lead us astray.

In a lot of ways, it all comes back to the truism "Everything in moderation."  We don't have to be obsessive or prohibitive.  We can be moderate.  And when we keep other factors in balance, we can appreciate God, each other, and our surroundings a lot more fully.  Considering the season:  I hope and pray that this will be your experience with Christmas this year... and beyond.