Have you ever met someone who seemed to shine with happiness but later found out that deep down, they aren’t happy at all? We often see this with celebrities. This is because the source of their joy is artificial and temporary. Proverbs likens this to a lamp, which in Bible time would have been a lantern. Proverbs 13v9 says: “The lamp of the wicked is snuffed out”. A lantern can appear beautiful and romantic, but it is still a small, man-made light that can easily be blown out. More than this, it provides only a limited circle of light; it consumes its own substance to provide illumination, and once its oil is spent, it leaves darkness. However, the first part of this verse describes what we can have instead; it reads, “The light of the righteous shines brightly”. The verse no longer references a lamp but rather “light”. This is the same word used for day and sun. This light is unwavering and abundant, reaching far and wide. So, if you feel like your lamp is running on empty, stop using your own energy to keep it running and turn to the light we all have access to. And the good news is that it does not rely on us to keep it shining, for Jesus tells us, I am the light of the world. It’s a light that shines so abundantly that it defies all logic, and that’s because we are not the source of it, but rather, it’s Jesus’ light reflecting through us. Open Bible – https://bit.ly/Pro13v9 (Sarah J)
