MYOB

David had a problem, and he certainly didn’t want anyone pointing it out. It took a fearless prophet to confront the king, telling a tale that trapped the sinner in his sin.

MYOB.

That’s the response most give when on the receiving end of unwanted advice.
“Mind your own business.”

“Get off my back — off my case — outta my life!”

How do you help a person who doesn’t want help? Like the person addicted to alcohol, or hooked on drugs. Whatever the dependency, some people simply don’t believe they have a problem. The only way to get them to accept reality and begin the process of recovery is to convene a confrontation.

Professionals call it “an intervention.”

Like Christopher, for example, on The Sopranos, the HBO hit drama series about a New Jersey mob family. Christopher is running around high, again, desperately trying to score some more heroin. He gets involved in a drug deal that goes awry, and ends up getting carjacked, robbed and beaten. The mobster Tony steps in and schedules an intervention.

Why? Because Christopher’s drug habit is getting in the way of business. How can Tony trust him to whack guys, deliver drugs, smuggle dope and launder money when he’s ...