The path of the righteous is like the morning sun,
    shining ever brighter till the full light of day.
But the way of the wicked is like deep darkness;
    they do not know what makes them stumble.
- Proverbs 4:18-19
 
Here’s a great example of proverbial simile. Can you put on your poetry beret and enjoy it today?
 
Both the “righteous” and the “wicked” have paths and ways that they travel. They live their lives, make decisions, engage in relationships. And their core character is revealed. Their path determines their destination, to paraphrase Andy Stanley.
 
What’s the path of the righteous like? It’s lit. You can see every step. And every step gets clearer. The light rises and rises and rises. Wisdom herself will guide the wise.
 
And the way of the wicked? It’s covered in secrets. No one can see you on the move. Your every step is hidden and, as a result, your steps are hidden even from you. The vines and brambles and cracks and pits in the path spread out before you. Tragedy waits for you on the path and you can’t even see it looming.
 
Which path do we want to walk?
 
It’s so obvious. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy. As John said of Jesus: “light has come into the world but [people] loved darkness rather than light” (from John 3:19). Can we be honest about our love of the darkness? We all struggle with this from time to time. If we can admit it to ourselves, we can start to walk (or continue to walk) along the path of the righteous.
 
Pray a prayer of confession today. Acknowledge where you’ve walked in the darkness, make a choice not to hide from the Lord the places where you’ve stumbled, and ask him to help you walk in the light going forward.