Proverbial Hump Day: Proverbs 13:9

Is your light shining brightly

While growing up in a small church in Texas, I learned to sing the song, “This Little Light of Mine.”

At the time, I thought the little light was mine. All mine. And it emanated from within me as if I was a streetlamp. The song is mistitled and the lyrics are all wrong. The light isn’t mine at all.

Proverbs 13:9 tells us whose light it is. It’s the light of the righteous.

The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is extinguished.

That certainly isn’t me.

Then who is it?

None other than our Lord Jesus Christ. He is our righteousness! Well, that is, if we believe in Him. And I can testify to the fact that His light does shine brightly.

Okay, I do admit, if we have the light of Christ within us, then it will appear that we are shining like a beacon in the darkness. In fact, that’s precisely what we will look like to the rulers and authorities in heavenly realms.

The Lamp of the Wicked is Extinguished

If there is a verse in the Bible that upholds the Quaker belief in the Inner Light, this is it. But I doubt that many modern Quakers would agree that this light might be extinguished in some.

The word “extinguished” implies that the light shone brightly at one point. But it has been fanned out. De-flamed. Quenched.

The wicked do not carry Christ. Do not know Him. And because they do not know Him, they have no light within. They are walking in complete darkness. That’s what makes them wicked.

Is your faith in Christ or your own goodness? Be careful how you answer.

Allen Taylor is the author of I Am Not the King.