Proverbs 31:6-7
Lemuel’s mommy tells him to do something worthwhile with strong drink rather than indulge himself & become dull with it.
Apparently she instructs that strong drink is good to administer to those in pain, dying, suffering or in a deep melancholy.
It has good use for those truly in need to not feel pain or to forget for a bit how heavy-hearted they feel.
And obviously, it can and is easily abused. If it comes even close to being an “answer” to our woes, we are headed for certain trouble.
Strong drink is meant to cheer and revive the spirits, and make glad the heart (as it does where there is need of it), NOT to burden and oppress the spirits, as it does where there is no real need of it. -Matthew Henry
Mark 3:2,5
People were watching to see if Jesus would heal him on the sabbath, so that they could frame a charge against him.
He was deeply upset at their hard-heartedness, and looked around at them angrily.
One thing we know for sure that upset Jesus is someone elevating rules above people.
This is crystal clear in the gospel accounts. In fact, they seem to make a special effort to portray this.
Having a heart set on keeping the letter of the law instead of a heart for loving people appears to be one thing that comes close to setting Jesus off.
Here’s the wisest, kindest, gentlest, humblest, most forgiving, unoffendable man to ever walk the earth, yet you care more about enforcing rules than loving people…even He is ready to go off on you!
Shouldn’t we, who are not perfect, err on the side of love?