REFLECTOR
On the 9th of May 2008, at the break of dawn—4:30 AM to be exact—a group of men from work and a few faithful guys from church decided to embark on what we called a "God walk" up Mt. Gravatt in Brisbane. It was the kind of morning that made you pause and reflect. As we reached the summit, a conversation broke out about the full moon, glowing brilliantly in the predawn sky.
One of my mates looked at it in awe and said, “You can see why people worshipped the moon, hey?” He was right—it was stunning, a masterpiece in the heavens. But as we marveled at its light, the thought struck me: the moon doesn’t produce its own light. Its glow comes entirely from the sun.
A Lesson from Martin Luther King
Later that morning, I played Martin Luther King Jr.'s iconic "I Have a Dream" speech for the group. I had been reflecting on this remarkable man—a preacher, an activist, a husband, and a father. At his core, Martin Luther King Jr. was an ordinary man, much like you and me.
But what set him apart was his willingness to reflect the pain, hopes, and dreams of his people. He made himself available to stand in the gap, to be a voice for the voiceless. MLK didn’t shine with his own light—he reflected the truth of God’s justice, the cries of the oppressed, and the hope of freedom. If he hadn’t stepped up, we likely wouldn’t know his name today. Yet, his choice to reflect God’s light in the face of injustice came at a cost—a great reward, yes, but also a great sacrifice.
The Moon and the Sun
That morning, as the moon lit up the Brisbane sky, I realized the profound beauty of its role. The moon is not the source of light—it simply reflects the sun. Without the sun, the moon would be invisible, an unseen rock drifting through space. But when it aligns with the sun, it becomes a beacon of light, impossible to ignore.
I thought about our city. If every person in Brisbane looked out their window that morning, they would see the moon glowing with a borrowed light. Yet how often do people fail to see the ultimate source of that light? How often do we miss the fingerprints of God on our lives, even when His reflection is shining all around us?
We Are the Moon
That’s when it hit me: we are the moon in our city and in our country. Just like the moon reflects the sun, we are called to reflect the love and light of Christ to the world. Our lives are meant to shine in dark places, pointing people to the true source of power and hope—God Himself.
Jesus said in Matthew 5:14-16:
"You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."
We are not the source of the light; we are simply reflectors of God’s love, grace, and truth. But here’s the challenge: our city will never see that light if we don’t make ourselves available.
Making Ourselves Available
Martin Luther King Jr. made himself available, and through him, God reflected justice and love to a broken world. The moon makes itself available, faithfully reflecting the sun’s light. The question is, are we willing to do the same? Are we willing to be God’s reflectors in our workplaces, schools, neighborhoods, and families?
Being a reflector requires stepping out of our comfort zones. It requires saying "yes" to God even when it’s inconvenient, even when it costs us something. But the reward is worth it—because when we shine the light of Christ, we give others a glimpse of His goodness, His power, and His love.
Reflecting God’s Light
Our world is full of people who are lost, hurting, and walking in darkness. They don’t need our opinions or our self-made light; they need the light of Christ. They need us to reflect His love, His grace, and His truth with authenticity and compassion.
So, let’s put our hands up. Let’s make ourselves available. Like the moon reflects the sun, let’s reflect the love of God to a world desperate for hope. Together, we can shine a light so bright that no one can ignore the source behind it.
Be the moon. Be a reflector. And watch how God transforms the darkness into light through you.
