I See the Moon

Lately my niece has become totally obsessed with the moon. If we are together at any time, she will search the sky for the moon and ask me to join her on her mission. Once the sky-gem has been found, we sing "the moon song" together and follow that with a hug, a kiss, and and a verbal reminder of our love for each other. She is thoroughly convinced that the moon was made by God just for her. That this beautiful work of nature has the sole purpose of giving her pleasure and reminding her and I of each other's love. A few times at night, she has asked her mom to call me so she could tell me that she saw the moon and thought of me.
Her obsession with the moon got me excited about it. I find myself thinking of her more when I see the moon. I use the moon to teach her about light, shadows, the earth, and also about God, and about His love and power. Through the moon, and my Moon (my niece), God has showed me so much of Himself.
The Moon: Unlike the stars, the moon is very small, and completely dependent on another source of light, the sun. The moon, however, is very close and familiar. It is comfortable, and its surface is attainable. It reflects the light of the sun in such a way that we can appreciate its brilliance without being blinded by directly gazing upon its brightness. The moon, unlike the sun, gives us light within darkness. It does not fully remove the darkness, but merely helps us see through it.
In the same way, we as Christians can be moons to the world around us.
We: Although very small, and completely dependent on The Source of Light, The Son of God, are very close and familiar to the world around us. We are comfortable and attainable to the lost who are seeking answers. We can reflect God in our lives in a way that others, who are separated from God by their sin, can still see that He loves them. We, like the moon,are exposed to our Light Source constantly, but others only see Him once in awhile. They are otherwise in darkness. We can direct them to that Light.
I am not the first one to use this analogy. I am sure it has been more eloquently relayed, but this is what God has showed me through the eyes of a little girl who has been the moon in my life.