Dr. Scott had stopped by the bar before heading home. It was the end of the week and he wanted a little down time before he returned. He had six children and the house was always busy and loud. He wanted a few quiet minutes to take the edge off. The first drink slid down easily and he thought, “I will have another.” He motioned to the bartender to set him up again . . . and yet again. He relaxed, paid his bill and left. He felt a bit light-headed but home was only a few blocks away.
He got in the car. It responded to the turn of the key and he put the car in gear and headed for home. Pulling into the driveway, he noticed that the door was opened and all the lights were on. He jumped out of the car and ran to the front door. Inside he found his wife was sitting on the floor holding their youngest and weeping. He tried to clear his head. That last drink had scrambled things. What was going on?
“Honey?” he said. “What is wrong?” Vera looked up, with tears streaming down her face, “Mandy was playing with the big kids tiny figure toys and must have swallowed one. She isn’t breathing and I don’t know what to do. I called 911 and they are on the way.”
Dr. Scott again shook his head and began to sober up. He dropped to his knees and took Mandy and laid her on the floor. He opened her mouth and couldn’t see the obstruction. He grabbed his ball point pen and told one of the older kids to get him a clean knife. He made a small incision in her throat and made a tracheotomy. Gently he pushed on her diaphragm and she had a whooshing sound as the air flowed into her lungs. Her color began to return and her eyes fluttered open.
Scott was fully sober now and remembered that he had been late because he chose to be intoxicated. Soberness was so important. What if he had been in an accident or had another drink. What if he hadn’t been here in time?
The EMTs arrived and gently took Mandy and her Mom in the ambulance. Dr. Scott called a neighbor to watch the children and got back in the car and headed to the hospital.
Today’s Lesson:
Intoxication with the things of the world will keep us from the important things. Those of us who walk with Jesus must consider the hour. There was a time when we could be frivolous and spend time pleasing ourselves, but the times we live in require us to be sober and focused.
This doesn’t mean that we don’t laugh and enjoy fellowship with others. It doesn’t mean that we are like Scrooge. What it does mean is that we are aware of who we are and more importantly Whose we are. As we spend time in His Presence and He becomes more and more the focus of the gift of life He has given to us; we are ‘God-possessed.’
There are Mandys everywhere that aren’t breathing. They need us to help them breathe again by introducing them to the One who loves them. We are His hands and feet.
We don’t need a drink to relax. We have the great Comforter to give us peace. Peace in the Bible doesn’t mean a cessation of conflict; it means ‘whole, complete, and fully alive.’
The year 2013 requires us to be sober, focused and complete. There must be a level of preparedness and watchfulness. This is my prayer for us all.
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