Hi ,

 

In the 1980s, Jay Winsten, a professor at Harvard, had learned about a program in Scandinavian countries called the "designated driver." At the time, nobody in the U.S. knew what a designated driver was.

 

Winsten and his team wanted to change the way people behaved in regard to social drinking. So Winsten started to influence people's thoughts by regularly exposing people to the idea of the designated driver-even if it was just a brief exposure. He collaborated with producers, writers, and actors from more than 160 prime-time TV shows to insert designated driver moments into the plot. Segments featuring designated driver spots appeared on The Cosby Show, Who's the Boss?, and Cheers-to name just a few shows. In one episode of L.A. Law, the heartthrob lawyer asked a bartender to call his "designated driver." Winsten always requested a mere five seconds of dialogue focused on the idea.

 

The results were remarkable. By 1991, three years after the campaign had launched, 90 percent of poll respondents were familiar with the term designated driver, 37 percent of Americans reported having acted as designated drivers, and over half of frequent drinkers had used a designated driver.

 

"Do to others as you would have them do to you."  Luke 6:31

 

We don't always have the opportunity to help people do exactly what we would like them to (stop drinking,) or to compel them to make the right decisions; but we can choose how we will respond to them if they call on us for help.  I'm not advocating that we "aid" people in their dysfunction, but we can respond with love and concern when they call on us DESPITE their dysfunction. 

 

Lord, help me today to respond to those that are struggling with Your love, mercy, and grace.  In Jesus name, amen.

 

 

Have a great day and God bless!

 

 

 

Pastor Mike / The Open Word