LOTR The Fellowship of the Ring: What to Decide

“So do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” -J.R.R. Tolkien

In the midst of the pandemic that is the Corona virus, I was thinking about how quickly our lives can change. Many of us have enjoyed relative peace, comfort, and security. That world has been shattered for most. Regardless of whether it is physical health, economic stability, or social status; all of our lives have been affected. But amidst all this change, we need to remember that our character and our identity should not be one of the things that shifts with the events around us.

In The Fellowship of the Ring, we are introduced to the peaceful life of the Hobbit folk. They are a simple people who love community, food, and gardening. They are not warriors, politicians, or world leaders. Trouble is not something that visits their peaceful home. It is an idealistic retirement style village. But their world, like ours, is facing a massive threat to their security. A small ring is about to shake the foundation of the world, much like an unseen virus has done to ours.

The trouble begins when the Dark Lord Sauron discovers that his long lost ring of power has been hiding in the land of the hobbits. He begins sending his agents of evil to recover his ring and restore himself to power. One particular Hobbit named Frodo is tasked with keeping the ring hidden from Sauron and delivering it to the elves. Frodo is reluctant to keep the ring, but realizes he may be the only one who can deliver the ring without succumbing to the ring’s evil.

Frodo arrives in the land of the elves safely delivering the ring. But it was only with the help of his friends and mentors that he completes the journey. He lived as a fugitive on his journey and when he makes it to Rivendell, the land of the elves, he is barely alive. He believes his part in the story of the ring is over. But he is told the ring is not safe even with the elves. The ring must be destroyed. But the only place it can be destroyed is an even greater distance than the journey they just completed. The obstacles and dangers are multiplied. Despite knowing the journey ahead was a treacherous one, Frodo again volunteers to be burdened with the transportation of the ring.

Frodo and 8 companions set out on their quest to destroy the ring. They are beset with betrayal, harsh conditions, attacks on all fronts, and even lose their way on the journey. In one of these moments, Frodo turns to his mentor Gandalf, who tasked him with carrying the ring and says “I wish the Ring had never come to me. I wish none of this had happened.”

Many of us may feel as Frodo did in this moment. We may feel like the threat to our security is pointless and avoidable. We may feel like we have given so much already, how can anyone ask more of us. We may feel like we have endured too much already, and we cannot see the path that returns us home. We may feel like giving up and allowing the enemy to have what he seeks. We may want to change who we are to fit the dark times we live in. But as Gandalf reminds Frodo, when our lives are out of control, the one thing we can control is how we react to the situations we find ourselves in. Gandalf tells answers him:

“So do all who live to see such times, but that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world, Frodo, besides the will of evil.”

Frodo makes the decision to press on, no matter the obstacle. He would have more days doubting his ability to fight on, but he continued to press on. Amidst the mass panic of the world today, what will you decide? Will you hold onto your faith when the world tells you to give in to cynicism? Are you going to treat people with love and respect, even at the risk of your health and security? Are you willing to give of what you have even if it is all you have left? Are you going to trust God even when you don’t have a back up plan?

Giving up our security in unsecure times is difficult. Frodo could have ignored the threat from the ring, it would have taken many years for his home to be reached by the darkness that would have overtaken the land. We also can ignore the threat to those around us. We can hoard what we have and try to survive a little longer; rather than helping others and trusting God to supply our needs. But God has called us to more than just survival. He has called us to be the light in the darkness.

In the Bible, Esther was faced with a similar dilemma. Esther was one of the Jews living in exile after Israel and Judah had fallen. After the king had banished the queen, he made a search for a new queen. He chose Esther as the new queen, but was not told of her Jewish heritage. When one of the kings most powerful nobles, Haman, convinced the king to enact a law that would destroy all the Jews, Esther had a choice to make. Esther could decide to remain in hiding as the queen, or reveal her heritage and try to save her people.

When Esther was hesitant to approach the king to beg for mercy, her uncle Mordecai spoke to her saying “…who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?” Mordecai Reiterated what Gandalf told Frodo, all you have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to you. We will all face difficult times and choices. But the love of God triumphs over all. If we have accepted Christ as our savior and made Him Lord of our life, than we should not fear for our life. Our decisions should be based upon the Holy Spirit’s leading. We should showcase the light of Christ especially in difficult times. Even when our health, our possessions, our security, and way of life is compromised. We can decide to live in faith with the time that is given to us. We can decide to show the love Christ showed us.

What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written,

“For your sake we are being killed all the day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:31-39