Sayings of the Wise #18 - Restrain Strong Drink - (Prov. 23:29–35)

Saying 18 | Restrain Strong Drink

Proverbs 23:29–35 (NASB 1995)

Who has woe? Who has sorrow?

Who has contentions? Who has complaining?

Who has wounds without cause?

Who has redness of eyes?

Those who linger long over wine,

Those who go to taste mixed wine.

Do not look on the wine when it is red,

When it sparkles in the cup,

When it goes down smoothly;

At the last it bites like a serpent

And stings like a viper.

Your eyes will see strange things,

And your mind will utter perverse things.

And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea,

Or like one who lies down on the top of a mast.

‘They struck me, but I did not become ill;

They beat me, but I did not know it.

When shall I awake?

I will seek another drink.’

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✨ Lady Wisdom’s Lecture

Lady Wisdom lifted her voice gently, yet firmly:

“Daughters, this saying is not just about wine — it’s about what you linger on too long.
It’s about anything that dulls your discernment, numbs your spirit, or pulls your focus away from God.

The danger isn’t only in the cup — it’s in the craving.”

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💡 Understanding the Imagery

She began to explain the meaning of the verses:

“Who has woe? Who has sorrow? — The one who keeps reaching for comfort in the wrong place.

Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup… — That means, don’t be deceived by appearances. Sin often sparkles before it stings.

At the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper. — Pleasure without boundaries turns poisonous. What begins as relief ends in regret.”

She added softly,

“Wine here represents any excess — anything that alters your spiritual alertness.
It could be food, entertainment, gossip, shopping, scrolling, or even self-pity.

When you depend on something other than God to soothe your soul, it begins to master you.”

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💬 Charles Spurgeon once said,

• “Beware of that which makes sin look pleasant. For though it sparkles at the brim, the dregs are bitterness and death.”

🕊 Warren Wiersbe noted,

• “Drunkenness begins with the desire to escape — but God calls us not to escape life, but to overcome it through His Spirit.”

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🌸 Lady Wisdom’s Counsel

“Daughters, instead of filling your cup with what numbs, fill your heart with what revives.
The Spirit of God offers better wine — joy that satisfies, peace that lasts, and love that steadies you.

Ephesians 5:18 says, ‘Do not be drunk with wine, but be filled with the Spirit.’

When your spirit is full of Him, you won’t crave what empties you.”

She looked around the room and said gently,

“Don’t despise the warnings of Scripture. They’re not chains — they’re guardrails.
They protect your joy from running off the edge.”

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💭 Four Reflection Statements

Lady Wisdom then gave each woman a page and said,
“Read these quietly. One may sound like your own heart speaking.”  Share which number lessons resonates with both your primary and secondary temperaments in the comments below.  E.g.  Number 1&3.  

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🌿 Lesson Takeaway — Don’t Numb What God Wants to Heal

“Wine may sparkle, but it cannot satisfy.
Escape feels easy, but it empties the heart.

Wisdom calls you to stay sober — alert, awake, and anchored in peace.
The safest place for your emotions is in the hands of God.”

“Do not look on the wine when it sparkles in the cup;
At the last it bites like a serpent.” — Proverbs 23:31–32

Wishing everyone a wonderful day! 

Thanks for your well wishes and prayers.