Right now, a good friend of mine is riding 1400 miles on his bicycle (from Chicago, IL to Bozeman, MT), in order to raise money for the Firehouse Community Arts Center in the westside neighborhood of Lawndale in Chicago. While on this massive trek he has been blogging along the way and while in Blunt, SD he was inspired to blog about marijuana which I have copied portions of here. Enjoy!

Smoking marijuana may be good medicine for physically sick people, but let’s let the doctors make that determination. The majority of today’s youth are not smoking marijuana because they are physically sick. They are smoking it to get high. They are not using and developing the gifts God has given them; they are wasting their talents and time getting high.

Should marijuana be legalized? That’s a bigger debate with several matters to consider on both sides. But legal ot not, even if it is permissible, it isn’t good (1 Cor 6:12). Is it better than alcohol and the alcohol-related crimes that are committed? Probably. Better than smoking cigarettes? Maybe. Is stabbing somebody in the arm better than shooting them in the face? Sure it is. Still doesn’t make it right or good.

A talented young man has expressed to me recently that the marijuana-smoking community is a peace-loving group. It may be true that the marijuana-smoking community is a peaceful group in some ways, and if so, I believe their desire for peace is good. But real peace is not smoked. Getting high is a fleeting pleasure that creates a false experience of relaxation. It is not real peace. The peace that we desire is peace and rest in our soul which only comes through the work of God in our heart. That is real peace.

If you want that kind of peace, you best go to the Prince of Peace (Is. 9:6). “My peace I give to you,” said Jesus (John 14:27). “In me you may have peace,” said Jesus (John 16:33). “We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,” said Paul (Rom. 5:1). “To set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace” (Rom.8:6). “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control” Gal. 5:22). “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).

Got peace? Get Jesus

Also, God has never promised this life would be a constant state of peace and ease. There is a purpose to our trials and suffering (Rom. 5:3; James 1:2; Col. 1:24; Jer 1-29). There are lessons we need to learn when our poor decisions disrupt peace (Heb. 12:10-11). There is a refinement of our character that is lost when we manufacture a life of sensual ease and false peace.

All I have to say is: “Well said friend.” The world needs more people like my friend Cliff who’s not afraid to say what’s on his heart. People who have a genuine passion to see people set free from drug addiction and living out their lives to the maximum of their God given potential. His words are saturated with grace and love, but they are also faithful and true to the gospel that seeks to magnify and exalt God. His words are God-centered, rather than a me-centered anything goes prosperity gospel.