[I]t is not for kings to drink wine, or for rulers to desire strong drink; or else they will drink and forget what has been decreed, and will pervert the rights of all the afflicted.
Kings and rulers should not want strong drink, lest they forget what they’ve done, and even worse, pervert the rights of the afflicted. This bit of Proverbs come from King Lemuel’s mother, who was advising her son. Makes good sense. No mother would want their powerful son to have strong drink and risk the good works they’ve done.
And here’s where the counsel gets strange. She continues that while strong drink should not be given to rulers or kings, it should be given to those who are in great distress. “Let them drink and forget their poverty, and remember their misery no more”. Hmm.
Apparently, even in biblical times, people were drowning their sorrows in strong drink. Not only did it happen, it’s advised in Proverbs. This makes me think of the chronic alcoholic who’s homeless. Or those with significant mental illness who self medicate with alcohol or other substances, perhaps unknown during biblical times. Or the people living in crushing poverty throughout the world. Some huff paint, some smoke opium, some drink, some take whatever substance will “remember their misery no more”.
I’m absolutely torn about this. I definitely don’t think that you can really drink away your sorrows; trouble doesn’t cease just because you’re in a stupor. But being comfortably numb to despair seems not so bad. We who have relatively comfortable lives are so quick to judge those in misery who try to drown their sorrows. Taking me as an example, I’m loathe to give money to beggars. It’s not that I think they don’t deserve it. Rather, I’m too judgmental about how they might spend the money, that it’s better for my soul to not wonder. I don’t want to support a substance abuse problem, but I also don’t want to worry that this is where my money is going. Hence, it’s been easier to not give to people begging. It’s easier on my conscience.
That logic has served me well for years. But now, thinking about this bit of Proverbs, I’m not sure. Who am I with my comfortable life to suggest that others should face their reality, just like I do? I’m not facing the same despair and poverty. Not only that, but there is little reason to think their despair will cease. I certainly can’t do much about it.
Again, I’m torn. I’ve bought the party line that we should avoid drugs and alcohol. That altering your reality with drugs and alcohol is not helpful, and can actually harm you. But if I had chronic mean voices in my head, I might want to drown out those voices. If I lived in a tent on the streets, I might want to blur that truth.
If we can’t do anything to remove their despair and poverty, why should we be entitled to judge how they face their truth? Tough stuff.
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