The SS lesson focused on various pieces in Proverbs that addressed intemperance, drunkenness, and the temptation of wine. I wasn’t into talking about alcoholism, and instead pursued a side trail that addressed issues of the heart that lead to intemperance of all kinds. It’s easy to think the drunk has it all wrong but what about our excesses that we justify easily?

One of the ladies explained that in her mother tongue, Portuguese, the word that sounds like our word ‘temperance’ means ‘seasoning.’ I like that. No one wants excessive seasoning. We can take anything to excess: work, sleep, relationships ( a biggy for us women), hobbies, on-line time, food, exercise, church. Paul wrote to the Galatians that the only things there are no laws against are the fruit of the Spirit. You can never love too much or have too much peace or joy.

Thus, the only way to avoid excess is to have Christ capture our hearts, and make Him our highest joy. Out of that comes fruit that is pleasant and never excessive or intemperate.

Whatever rules the heart will exercise inescapable influence over one’s life and behavior.

If something is your treasure, you will live to gain, maintain, and enjoy it.

The things we set our hearts on never remain under our control.

—Instruments in the Redeemer’s Hands, Paul David Tripp