We have just returned home from our week with our children in Virginia where they surprised us and took us to the Outer Banks with them. I have already shared with you some of the lessons that I learned while at the beach but I have one more thing that I thought that I would share with you. There was one night in particular when the moon was full and it was reflecting off of the ocean. It was beautiful! It seemed so close and yet it was more than 226,330 miles away and it was at 99.4% illumination. Even more interesting, the sun which it is reflecting was 93,894,440 miles away. Think about those numbers for a minute. If you were to drive a car at 70 mph 24 hours a day for 153 years without ever stopping you would still be 7 days of driving away from reaching the sun (there is a website where you can get all of this useless information). I just drove about 2100 miles and that was more than enough for me.
Back in May, Max Lucado shared something from one of his books about the moon. Take a look at what he wrote:
“What does the moon do? She generates no light. Contrary to the lyrics of the song, this harvest moon cannot shine on. Apart from the sun, the moon is nothing more than a pitch-black, pockmarked rock. But properly positioned, the moon beams. Let her do what she was made to do, and a clod of dirt becomes a source of inspiration, yea, verily, romance. The moon reflects the greater light. And she’s happy to do so! You never hear the moon complaining. She makes no waves about making waves. Let the cow jump over her or astronauts step on her; she never objects. Even though sunning is accepted while mooning is the butt of bad jokes, you won’t hear ol’ Cheeseface grumble. The moon is at peace in her place. And because she is, soft light touches a dark earth.”
If you think about it, the moon models our role as a Christian. A Christian is a person who is Christ-like. When you bear the name Christian you are bearing the name of Christ. As a teenager I remember, like many of you, my father saying to me as I left the house “remember whose kid you are.” Evidently there was something special about being a Kamphuis. I had a reputation to uphold and a family to represent and my dad wanted me to remember that. Why is it that many who profess the name of Jesus and claim to be a Christian forget who it is that they are representing when they are outside of the church doors? It is in the public that we are called to represent Jesus. It is in our conversations with other people whether it be on Facebook or Twitter or wherever it might be that we as Christians are to bear the name of Christ and remember who it is that we are representing. How can you possibly claim to be a follower of Jesus and use some of the language that is used on the internet? Remember whose kid you are. Does that mean that we will not make mistakes and blow it from time to time? Absolutely not! But we must be more careful and sensitive to what we are saying and who is listening. Listen to what Jesus says to you and to me, to Christians: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they are to put it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14-16) Did you get that? You are the light of the world!!!! God has set you apart for that, and it cannot be hidden. If you bear the name of Christ, you will be noticed; for good or bad. You cannot hide it nor should you. In fact, you are to put the fact that you are a Christ-like one on display. Why? For your glory or good? No! To give light to others. So that others might benefit. When they see your good deeds do they glorify you and tell you how good you are? NO!!! It is so that they might praise God in heaven. Glorifying God is not a certain set of words that are memorized or actions repeated. It is a life that reflects the attributes of God. It is a lifestyle that is consumed with putting the glory of God on display. Like a city on a hill or a lamp set on a lamp stand, glorifying God entails us letting the light of the attributes of God shine before men so that others might take notice and join with us in glorifying God. Like the moon, you are to reflect Jesus.
As I think about the moon, like Max Lucado said, it is a big rock that has no life to it. We have evidence of that from astronauts who have been there. It is covered with dust and sort of just sits there and yet it reflects the amazing power and light of the sun. In some ways we are similar to the moon and in other ways we could not be more different. We are not just a piece of rock covered in dust without life. God has breathed life into us. He has made us in His image. We have every reason to reflect His image and yet we fall far short from time to time. The moon was at 99.4% illumination the other might when I was looking at it. That is pretty close to 100% which means it was positioned just about perfect to be full and illumined to its fullest ability. There are times when there is a half moon or quarter moon. Why is that? It all has to do with how the moon is positioned in relationship to the sun. Now think about the sun. As magnificent and powerful as it is, it does not even come close to the beauty, glory, power and majesty of the Son. God will be glorified.
The Bible tells us that we have the privilege and responsibility to reflect that glory to those around us if we are going to bear the name of Christian. How are you doing with that? How are you positioning yourself to achieve 99.4% or even 100% illumination to those around you? What would you think your illumination number is? Does it matter to you? Is it evident in the way you act and talk outside of the church doors or when you are away from other Christians? Is it obvious to the people you work with that you are a Christian and that your desire is to reflect the glory of God?
While the sun is a source of power and strength, and it is the moons source of light, I must tell you that there was something really special about that moonlit sky that night on the seaside pier. Just to know that God was using that lifeless piece of rock covered in dust to give light was moving. It was extremely bright against the dark night sky and yet it was not the source of light, it was the reflection. What a privilege we have to reflect THE ONE AND ONLY TRUE SON, and my prayer is that we as a church, and as individuals, might be faithful and mindful to do so each and every day. You will fail and fall out of alignment, but the source of light will never cease. God is faithful in spite of our unfaithfulness.
Go reflect the glory of God to those around you today.