“But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn,
That shines brighter and brighter until the full day.” (Prov. 4:18)
Hello Saints,
Twenty-four years ago, at this very time of year, I was visiting my in-laws up in northern Ontario. It was a Sunday morning, and after the church service there was a reception in the basement where I was introduced to the pastor of the church. After a few moments of pleasantries, there was a completely unexpected moment when the pastor put his hands on my shoulders, looked me right in the eyes and quoted this verse to me. In that instance we were standing on holy ground as the presence of Holy Spirit was palpable, and we both had tears in our eyes. I had just finished my first year of Bible College and was less than 3 years old in the Lord. In life there are transforming moments that alter your life course and shape who you are as a person…this was one of them. This verse would be always before me. I had it highlighted in every Bible, had pictures on the wall with it inscribed over beautiful artwork, and have meditated on it long and hard for many years.
We find the verse in the middle of Proverbs 4 which is all about ‘obeying your father’s teaching’. Solomon’s father was none other than King David who had a heart after God. I assume that Solomon was transferring the faith on to his boys as David had done with him. The verse seems to come out of nowhere, found in the middle of a description on ‘the wicked’. It is there to bring contrast to the ‘wicked’ indicated by the conjunction ‘but’ found in the more accurate translations. I picture the sun rising in the hills of Jerusalem, slowly pushing back the darkness as it rises behind the surrounding peaks, getting higher and higher in the sky as the morning hours progress, reaching its full height just after noon.
Well, that is the imagery, but the message is this: “the path of the righteous” is like the rising sun. Who are the righteous? According to scripture, those who have a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. They have been declared righteous by faith in the finished work of Jesus – His cross and resurrection - there is no other way to be declared righteous. Secondly, what is the path? To me, the path is the walk of faith deeper and deeper towards our goal of Christlikeness. Jesus is the light of the world, and we are to be also (Matt. 5:14; John 8:12). Our Christian walk consisting of following Jesus, becoming like Him, is one of going from glory to glory…brighter and brighter. The closer you get to the light, the more you shine, even as Moses did when he went up the mountain into the presence of God. This is Paul’s analogy in 2Corinthians 3 when he writes, “But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as from the Lord, the Spirit” (2Cor. 3:18).
What was God saying to me that day when He met me through that pastor 20 hours North of where I live, in springtime, after my first year of Bible College, desiring to go into full-time gospel preaching ministry? Get to know Jesus! Get to know Him more and more. Don’t get wrapped up in man’s teachings and doctrines, get wrapped up in Jesus! He is your pursuit! He is your goal, your destination! All of your Christian journey, your path, should be fueled by one pure and holy passion…to know Christ. There is only one way to shine brighter and brighter and that is to get closer to the source of the light – He is the Light of the world!
Friends, the Lord has reminded me over and over again, even while I am in ministry, that ministry is never the goal…Jesus is. I must keep my eyes on Him. Bible school, seminary, church leadership ought never to be what drives us – actually if I may be so bold, these things will actually lead you away from Jesus. In my final year of Bible College, after being disillusioned with the whole experience, God spoke to me again with another verse that jumped off the page, which has also become a life verse: “I want to know Christ” (Phil. 3:8-10). My goal is to shine for the Master; to reflect His glory. That ought to be the goal of any true follower of Jesus. Sadly, I see so many distracted by so many things, their light is almost out. Proverbs 4:18 is like a declaration – “the path of the righteous will shine brighter”, because the righteous want to follow the Light, even Jesus. Do you? We were saved to shine brighter and brighter! It’s the destiny of the righteous!
Blessings
"Advancing the Kingdom of God by releasing Spirit-filled followers to serve Jesus in freedom and joy."
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