Beer and Love

By Matt Buehrig

I like beer. I like beer, and I don’t think that’s a bad thing. My oldest son recently turned 21, and we also just dropped our 2nd oldest off at college for his freshman year. Beer was one of the many things swirling around my head in regards to both of those events.

I remember back to my own early days at college. I also remember (albeit fuzzy) my own 21st birthday. Beer was not a good thing for me back then. Or perhaps, more appropriately, it was neutral, and my use of it, in excess, was bad. Isn’t that how it is with everything? Avoid excess. Everything in moderation. Those are common words of advice for healthy living, both physically and spiritually. But do we really mean EVERYTHING?

Love. Love to excess. Love God, love His Word, love your family, your friends, even strangers. I can’t find the fault in that statement. Love always and without ceasing. Love when you are happy, and love when you are in pain. That’s right. I didn’t say you had to love the pain, but don’t stop loving just because you are in pain. In parenting this comes up often. Many times my kids will disappoint me, and many times they will need to be disciplined. The best thing I can remember during those times, is to love them. I correct them because of love. I punish because of love. If my temper is still too hot to be able to follow these words, then I need to step back. If I am too angry, or in too much pain, then my words/actions/punishments may be coming from a place of vengeance as opposed to guidance.

In Matthew 5:44-45, we hear from Jesus, “But I say this to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you; so that you may be children of your Father in heaven, for he causes his sun to rise on the bad as well as the good, and sends down rain to fall on the upright and the wicked alike.” Wow, that’s some tough advice to heed. Before throwing it out the window, and assuming it only applies to saints and apostles, go ahead and try it. Think about the person who upsets you most. Perhaps you’ve held a grudge for years. Perhaps the object of your grudge did something so deplorable that it should never deserve forgiveness. Perhaps it isn’t as extreme. Maybe you simply have an annoying co-worker who rubs you the wrong way. Whatever the case…love that person. Forgive them. Pray for them. Go ahead, say their name in your head and pray for them. It can be a tough pill to swallow. Really, all we’re doing is admitting that it isn’t OUR job to remember, punish, or exact revenge…we’re turning it over to God. (You can find the same teaching in Luke 6:27-28 if you’d like to read further.)

Once we stop concentrating on the worst aspect of someone, then we can see the good. Or at least we can get past the negative and move on. We can love.

I had to step away from beer for a while during college. I saw it only as a means to an end. I’m probably not alone in admitting that I used it for its worst aspects. It was not positive. It was not healthy. Now, however, I see it as a beautiful thing. As wondrous a part of God’s creation as a beautiful sunset reflecting over a mountain lake (Ok, even I admit that is an exaggeration.) But I see hops and malt springing forth from the bounty of our land. I see passion and time and intelligence poured into the creation of each brew. I wonder at the miracle of yeast. I thoroughly enjoy the smells of biscuit, and hints of grapefruit, and the sweet caramel tastes or biting hop finishes. I marvel at the remnant lacing clinging to the side of a glass from a receding head, or the tight effervescing bubbles continuing long past the pour. I enjoy all of these things because I see God’s creative hand touching them.

If I can think this about beer, then how could I ever NOT love my neighbor? And so I say again, love to excess. And next time you enjoy a good beer (or wine, or fresh made bread, or an apple pie, or whatever you like), think about the miracle that is God’s creation right in front of you, which was made by the hands of man, and how much went into it. Then think of the person you are neglecting to love, and how much more went into forming them into the person they are. Whether they be upright or wicked, think of how much more important they must be to our Holy Father. And then Love.

(It was a bit of a stretch, but I made it back to beer, and you read all the way to the end. Next time I’ll start off with something a little deeper…or maybe I’ll write about pretzels.)

Have a safe and blessed Labor Day weekend!