The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Esther 1:2-8, “In those days as King Ahasuerus sat on his royal throne which was at the citadel in Susa,
3 in the third year of his reign he gave a banquet for all his princes and attendants, the army officers of Persia and Media, the nobles and the princes of his provinces being in his presence.
4 And he displayed the riches of his royal glory and the splendor of his great majesty for many days, 180 days.
5 When these days were completed, the king gave a banquet lasting seven days for all the people who were present at the citadel in Susa, from the greatest to the least, in the court of the garden of the king’s palace.
6 There were hangings of fine white and violet linen held by cords of fine purple linen on silver rings and marble columns, and couches of gold and silver on a mosaic pavement of porphyry, marble, mother-of-pearl and precious stones.
7 Drinks were served in golden vessels of various kinds, and the royal wine was plentiful according to the king’s bounty.
8 The drinking was done according to the law, there was no compulsion, for so the king had given orders to each official of his household that he should do according to the desires of each person.”

There’s a saying that states, “If you’re going to do it, do it in style!” Whether King Ahasuerus was familiar with that saying, I do not know. Yet, his lavish arrangements,
including this banquet, was certainly in line with that saying.

What’s more, the food was luscious and plentiful. The drinking of the royal wine was also plentiful, although it was done “according to the desies of each person.” No one was compelled to drink, or presumably, limited. It was left to a man’s own desire.

There’s another old saying that goes: “Man takes a drink; drink takes a drink; then drink takes the man.” That’s more than an old saying, that’s the truth! And from that
point onward, man becomes the victim of what Billy Sunday used to call “booze.”

Today, we have too many people adhearing only to “laws” of their own making. And when they then become inebriated, they engage in activities that lessen a good life for themselves, and for others.

Do you live your life with a consideration for others? Or do you think others should with a consideration for you? Having “no compulsion” to abstain should not ever be viewed as a “free-for-all” for anyone. “Do unto others as you would have others do unto you.” You’ll feel better yourself, and the crowd around you will grow!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom