Are You an Eclipse or a Reflection?

“You will be My witnesses…”

Acts 1:8

Well I wasn’t there but if you have been paying any attention this past week, everybody in America has been talking about the eclipse.  There were instructions everywhere on how to view the Eclipse… where it would be seen across America, the dangers of looking at the Sun during an eclipse and so forth.  I have seen all sorts of great pictures posted by friends, videos of people watching the Eclipse and so forth.  It was a big event.  I wish I could have been there to see it.

For those of you who might not know – an eclipse is what happens when the moon passes between us and the Sun.  During that moment, the moon instead of reflecting the light of the sun, partially or completely blocks it from our view. When the moon is a reflection, it lights up the darkness of our nights.  That’s a good thing.  But when there is an eclipse, the moon becomes dangerous.  Looking at the light surround a moon during an eclipse can actually do great harm. 

That got me to thinking about the words of our Lord, “You shall be My witnesses…”  As Pastor I hear a lot of people say, that they can’t be witness.  They are afraid to give witness.  But the truth is, like it or not, as believers we are always witnesses to Jesus.  In our witness, we are like the moon. Our witness gives either a clear reflection of Jesus or we are an eclipse.    Of course, as with the moon, when we reflect Jesus – that’s a good thing.  He is the Savior.  Knowing and believing in Him is the essence of eternal life.  On the other hand, as with the moon, when we eclipse Him that does great harm.

Hence the question I think you and I should reflect on before saying something to someone or taking some action. Will this make me a better reflection of Jesus or an eclipse?  Too often, because we are always sinners, we are both a partial eclipse and a partial reflection. 

How do we change that?  What do we do to stop being eclipse?  We move out of the way. We repent – that is turn away from our sin and turn back to God for forgiveness.  That however is at times easier said than done.  Let me illustrate. When I was a kid, I would often position myself between my sister and whatever she was watching on TV.  Sometimes it was an accident and at other times I did it on purpose.  Almost always my sister would say to me, “Wayne, move. You make a better door than a window.”  Now the easiest thing for me to do was to move to the side.  But sometimes – because I just wanted to be a bratty little brother, or because I was angry with her – I would just stand there… see if I could make her mad.   In the same way, you and I sometimes get stubborn in our sin, refuse to see or admit our wrong… stand there and insist on being an eclipse. 

That ultimately is why Jesus came isn’t it?  We make poor reflections.  He had to come so that we and others could really know who God is, that He is gracious and loving.  John said it in His Gospel, “No one has ever seen God, but God the one and only who is at the Father’s side, He has made Him known.”  Last week, to actually see the eclipse in all its beauty, people had to wear special glasses.  Jesus is the only lens through which you or I or anyone can see the beautify of God’s love and grace!  In His life on our behalf, His death for our sins and His victory over death – we see God clearly.  So when you find yourself being more eclipse than reflection, repent… put on your Jesus glasses… be reminded of how much God loves you.  Then get out of the way so that others can see Him too… through you.  Amen.