Posted on Leave a comment

Man has the capacity to Change…But he needs guidance and motivation!

As I read, observe, reflect and react‑‑to the stimuli I am faced with, I am more and more convinced that each “average” person has such capacity to improve his/her potential of achievements, only if they had the information and were motivated!

    Last night as I was in the home of a couple, studying the Bible with them and one of their friends whom they had invited, I was given the following short piece.  I thanked the person, telling him that I would read it when I got home. When I read it, I felt a deep sense of satisfaction.  It may help others, which was the evident aim of the writer, he had helped who was in his position. Yet, it may and should motivate others of us who have not experienced his pain, yet may have the opportunity to work with others, and possibly have a small but significant part in their life‑changing‑ experiences.

    Hi.  My name is Dave, and I am an Alcoholic.  I don’t know if this will help anyone with some problem that I have, but it can’t hurt.  The first thing, and probably the hardest was to admit I did have a problem.  I was a typical drunk, it was always someone else’s fault that I drank and never my own.  I was always looking for an excuse to drink. Either for relaxing or tension.  It didn’t matter as long as I could drink.  I would use up food and bill money to drink on and the sad part was, I knew I was taking away the things that my family needed and wanted.  I was HOOKED.  I guess when it hit me that there was something extremely wrong was when I wrecked my car.  I always thought that no matter how much I drank, I could always handle a car because cars are my life.

     I’m a Mechanic.  When it hit me, I thought, “If this truck hadn’t been here to stop me from driving this car, I may have ran over a kid on the street and not even know it.” I couldn’t handle that. There’s no way. I put my own wife and kinds thru  HELL. I sure wouldn’t want to do that to someone I don’t know.  My life is totally different. I don’t drink and I don’t miss it.  I go to church, and I became a member.  I have Bible study every Tuesday night with my preacher, Bill Sexton, which is a really good man and helps me a lot.  I guess the reason for this letter is to say one thing, and that is this, If you drink, STOP. It gets worse before it gets better.  Don’t learn the hard way like I did. I learned almost to late.

     Please STOP now.

    Perhaps I’d be wise and perceived to be more modest to leave my name out as the preacher, and I thought about doing that.  Then, I wandered if that wouldn’t be a false sense of  modesty, rather than being totally honest.  Therefore, I have left it as he gave it to me.

    I wish to make a point or two, however:

    1. Let us recognize and appreciate the fact that men and women have the capacity to change their lifes, if they have the right guidance and are properly motivated. Many have sank low, experienced great pain, but they may very well be in a position to appreciate truth and be willing to try it to see if it works.

    2. Therefore, we may be in  a position to help‑‑by showing concern, love, and being willing to spend some time to listen and offer our assistance, when they show willingness to respond.

    3. We may be tempted to evaluate one past change, and thus pass “by on the other side” ( Lk. 10:31‑32 ). We need to remember that God sent His Son for us who were all sinners, having been buried deep in some type sin and hurtful behavior. He stands at the door knocking ( Rev. 3:20 ) imploring us to allow Him entrance to our lives.  That is true of every individual, regardless of the dept of degradation into which he/she has sank.

    Beloved, let us be “salt of the earth” possessing and

dispensing the preserving quality‑‑as saints of God. Let us  be lights that we shine unto men and women, boys and girls who have walked the dark paths of sin and pain‑‑which leads to eternal destruction.  Let us see that they have the potential to be creatures with their hearts filled with gladness and going about contributing to the good things in this world, preparing for the next!

 —-William C. Sexton

. PS This was written a number of years ago, while I lived in Kansas City. It makes a point I still believe, however. So I reprint it here for consideration. Please ponder the point!