Singing vs. Drinking: What Music Does for Us
"Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 5:18-20
God gives us what we need.
In the final three chapters of his letter to the Ephesians, Paul frequently uses a "not this, but that" formula: Lay aside falsehood and instead speak truth. Quit stealing and instead work so you have something to share. Knock off the rotten speech, and start using your words to build others up. Replace foolishness with an understanding of God's will. Over and over, Paul tells Christians not to just give up the trappings of worldliness, but to replace them with God's good things. The point is clear: Yes, as Christians we have to leave some things behind. But God, in His goodness, promises to replace the world's counterfeit pleasures with the real thing.
I was struck by this a few years ago while leading a study on the Ephesian letter. In chapter five, Paul includes singing on his list of Godly alternatives to drunkenness, along with Spirit-filling and thanksgiving. I knew we had some members in our church who had been redeemed from alcoholism, so I asked a question. "What are some reasons that people get drunk?" The various answers boiled down to three recurring ideas:
1. Alcohol feels good. It causes short-term feelings of well-being and relaxation, diminishes stress, and reduces anxiety.
2. Alcohol makes socializing easier. By lowering anxieties and producing euphoria, alcohol can turn timid, socially awkward people into the life of the party. One brother laughingly said that he used to drink "to make other people better-looking." This is why alcohol is so popular at social gatherings. Relaxed, confident people are more fun to be around. Closely tied to this are issues of peer pressure and belonging. Everybody wants to fit in, and having a drink in one's hand makes one feel like part of the group.
3. Alcohol can be a way to cope with an overwhelming world. People suffering from depression and anxiety often self-medicate with alcohol to take a break from their problems.
Most of us are aware of these effects, and they are well-documented scientifically. But of course, it isn't all parties and relaxation, and the dark sides of alcohol are just as well-known. According to the Centers for Disease Control, excessive alcohol use over time can weaken immune systems, make consumers more susceptible to (or even directly cause) certain cancers, and reduce cardiovascular performance. By slowing down various areas of our brains, alcohol quite literally makes people dumber, so it comes as no surprise that chronic overuse can lead to many learning and memory problems, including increased chances of age-related dementia. Ironically, long-term alcohol use can also cause depression, anxiety, and a wide variety of social ills, thus counteracting the very reasons that so many people choose indulge in the first place.
When we consider the reasons that so many people enjoy indulging in alcohol, singing might at first seem like a strange alternative. But in recent years, science has begun catching up with what musicians like me have known all along: Singing is good for us. But why does Paul list it as an alternative to alcohol?
1. Singing feels good. It actually alters our brain chemistry in ways that make us more alert, less anxious, and more relaxed and optimistic. These effects are cumulative and long-term. One study found that singing increased feelings of well-being even more than talking with a friend about positive life events.
2. Singing makes socializing easier. Group singing has been found to forge social bonds with remarkable quickness, creating an almost instant sense of belonging and togetherness. Research shows that people who sing together are better able to work together creatively and experience less conflict. Group singing fosters trust, social cohesion, and cooperation.
3. Singing can be a way to cope with an overwhelming world. While music can obviously provide a valuable break from the stresses of life, active musical participation is much more than mere escapism. Regular singing actually helps us engage more positively with our fallen world. Studies have found that people who sing in choirs have stronger social networks, are more likely to vote, are less lonely, and are more likely to contribute positively to their communities than their non-singing cohorts.
But there's more. Singing on a regular basis actually strengthens our immune system and makes us more resistant to some cancers. Singing can have huge benefits for our cardio-vascular systems. It can make us smarter by strengthening connections within our brains, and several studies indicate it can prevent and even reverse the effects of dementia. The emerging field of music therapy is widely used to treat long-term depression and anxiety associated with aging, mental illness, and traumatic brain injuries. Some studies even suggest that, by toning our facial muscles and improving our posture, singing might make us better-looking!
See? Paul knew it two thousand years ago, and science is finally catching up. Singing does everything that alcohol does, but in ways that strengthen rather than weaken, that build up rather than tear down. God never takes away anything without giving us something better. So next time you find yourself wanting to lift a bottle, get together with some friends and lift your voices instead. You'll be better for it.
Sources and further reading
Why people drink:
Why Do People Drink Alcohol? | 5 Reasons Why People Drink
Health risks associated with excessive alcohol consumption:
Drinking too much alcohol can harm your health. Learn the facts | CDC
https://www.niaaa.nih.gov/alcohols-effects-health/alcohols-effects-body
Social and health benefits of singing:
Benefits of Singing: 10 Ways Singing Boosts Your Health
Archive | Sing with Us – Centre for Performance Science
Growing research shows singing with others is good for your health - The Washington Post
Choir singing improves health, happiness – and is the perfect icebreaker | University of Oxford
Music Therapy: Types & Benefits
Frontiers | The neurochemistry and social flow of singing: bonding and oxytocin
The ice-breaker effect: singing mediates fast social bonding | Royal Society Open Science
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