Proverbs 24:19-20 

Do not fret because of evil men      
or be envious of the wicked,  

for the evil man has no future hope,       

and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

I think if we are honest we all “envy the wicked” some.  Believing and following God is so much opposed to the value system of the culture we live in. It is easy to find people who have no concern for God yet live comfortable and seemingly blesses, peaceful lives.  In this proverb we are warned not to fret because of evil men.  If you aren’t used to reading the Old Testament you might miss the point here.  The word “evil” is not simply a term used for those involved in awful acts of sinful violence.  “Evil” can refer to anyone who does not carry a life-changing belief in God.  The writer uses terms that intentionally polarize all people into either a “for” or “against” category.  I think this is very helpful for you and me.  We need to see our lives as “for” or “against” God.   

The direct point here is the contrast of Hope.  Instead of looking around and becoming envious of those apart from God we choose to find our hope in Him.  Those without God have no hope.  Their hope is purely related to what can be achieved here in this life.  This is far from true for the believer.  Our hope is not in this life; our hope is founded in the saving grace of Jesus who has secured for us an eternal hope not limited to what can be achieved here.  That is our reason for not fretting.  We can take life as it comes knowing that this life is not the end all be all. This is not to say we wont have stress or trouble.  That would be foolish to purport.  However, because we have an eternal hope we can face the temporary struggles of life with confidence that things will get better, if not in this life for sure the life to come.  

Finally, this passage should cause our hearts to break for those who have no hope.  This should light a fire of compassion and evangelism in us to share the hope we have in Christ.  Those without God will have their “lamp snuffed out.”  This is a picture of their eternal life. People are not randomly sent people to Hell. Those who have decided to place their hope in what this world offers are simply given what they have chosen.  The devastating part of all this is that many will not know until it is too late.  My prayer today is that Christians everywhere are filled with compassion for the “evil” that have no eternal hope.  Let us share the hope we have in Jesus.  Let us not be stingy with hope.  

I hope this makes sense. AS