“The light of the righteous rejoices, but the lamp of the wicked will be put out” (Proverbs 13:9).
In the sermon on the mount, Jesus uses the phrase “light of the world” in reference to the influence His disciples will have as they live righteously among their contemporaries (Mat. 5:14). Later, He declares that the “lamp of the body is the eye” (Mat. 6:22). With this, He is illustrating the truth that whatever prize (i.e., earthly treasure or heavenly treasure) your eyes are on will determine how much light your soul will have. Just as the pupil of the eye constantly adjusts to the amount of life it has, your spiritual eyes will determine how much light or darkness is in your soul.
These illustrations of Jesus help to flesh out Solomon’s proverb. The righteous have joy in their hearts because they are pursuing true wealth—treasures in heaven. The wicked are hopeless because they are seeking fool’s gold—treasures on earth. Their eternal destiny is a place described as “outer darkness” (Mat. 8:12).
What are you doing with your light/lamp?
