Take the long view

Fret not yourself because of evildoers, and be not envious of the wicked, for the evil man has no future; the lamp of the wicked will be put out. ~Proverbs 24:19-20 ESV

Have you ever wondered why immoral, greedy, self-centered, egotistical, law-breaking people who do truly bad things sometimes experience great worldly success? This passage encourages you to stop concerning yourself with what wicked people do and have.

In 2 Timothy 4:7-9 the apostle Paul explains the hope of every Jesus follower:

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing.

A Christian has God’s promise of eternal life. Evildoers have no such hope. There is nothing — nothing — for a believer to envy about wicked people. While they may appear to prosper for a time, in the long run, they will not.

So when this passage assures you that the wicked have no future, that should be all you need to know. Not only is there nothing for them in the future, God himself promises to extinguish the lamps of those who fail to repent of their rebellion against Jesus Christ.

Rather than waste your time today musing about why some bad people have a good life, think about a person you know who does not believe Jesus Christ is God. Pray for their salvation. Ask the Lord to reveal himself in his great mercy to that person. Jesus would do no less.