Monday Morning Manna – Mid-Morning Beer Drinking

The four college-age guys sat in front of me at the professional golf tournament. On the way to their seats, they purchased their second beer of the morning. The special on this par three hole was any birdie made by a golfer caused a two-minute, $2 discount when two beers were purchased. After only a few minutes the guys were rooting for each golfer to get a birdie. When one finally did, they made a mad dash to the concession stand and returned with two additional beers each. One guy exclaimed, “Four beers before lunch!” Another expressed, in a somewhat slurred tongue, “I’ve got to get some food in my stomach before I get drunk.” Not being a beer-drinker, I’m not sure what effect this quantity has on the empty-stomach anatomy. I just think what it would do to me if I had four caffeine-filled Diet Cokes before lunch. In Acts 2:15, Peter was preaching on the Day of Pentecost, when some men began to speak in multiple languages. Not understanding what was happening, some thought the men were drunk, but Peter responded, “These are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day” (the “third hour” meaning three hours from daylight, or mid-morning). In other words, people do not normally get drunk by mid-morning, as four beers before lunch might accomplish, or at least get one well on the way. Yes, it was a golf tournament, and it was hot, and it was college-age guys, and the peer-pressure was strong, but one, like me, has to wonder what the future holds for these guys. Are these future teachers, counselors, coaches, physicians, public servants, etc? Assuming their beer-drinking for the day, had just begun, I just wanted to make sure I was not leaving the parking lot at the same time as these guys.

Dr. Dan Crawford, Senior Professor at Southwestern Baptist Seminary, is the WestCoast Baptist Association’s Spiritual Life & Leadership Mentor. Follow Dan on Twitter @DrDanRC and Facebook www.facebook.com/dan.crawford.