Happily Ever After: The Return of the King (Part 3 of 3)

Welcome to part three in my series on lessons I learned from The Lord of the Rings trilogy. This is the closer, people. The music is swelling. The breath is baited. The swords are drawn.

Charge!

1. The lighting of the beacons. I’m not sure why I love this scene so much, but I’m always struck by the lighting of the beacons. It’s very powerful imagery. As hard as it is for me, I have to remember that there will be times when I need help. I should never be afraid to ask for help. And on the flip side, I should always be available to help someone else. It’s perfectly normal to be on either side.

2. Stewardship and pride. The steward of Gondor lost sight of his role. He became drunk with the position of power and ignored his actual duty to the throne. It became about him rather than the kingdom. Not a stretch of imagination there to see the correlation. However, as stewards of the things on this earth, we should learn a lesson from him: turn or burn. (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)

3. We’ll screw up. Bless Frodo’s heart; he sure did a number on Sam. It’s a good thing that Sam was a true friend and stayed loyal even though Frodo told him to get lost. But just like Frodo, we will screw up a friendship or two at some point. There will be ones that will reconcile, and sadly, there will be ones that won’t. It’s crucial to mend the ones that we can, and have a clear conscious on the ones we can’t.

4. People pleasers. Wanting to please people can end up getting you hurt, but it’s really hard not to want to please the people that we respect or from whom we desire attention. For Borimer, it was his father. But it can be just about anyone, for good or bad reasons. However, it is our Heavenly Father that we must be most concerned about. We have already been given His love and attention. This fact can be really hard to remember when it doesn’t physically stare you in the face each day, but it is still true. Out of all the things God has control over in the universe, He desires a relationship with you.

5. Grab your sword. The battle for Middle Earth called on everyone that lived in it to fight. Our entire cast of characters all ended up as part of the war. Merry and Pippin, who joined the group inadvertently and avoided conflict at all cost in the beginning, even volunteered at the end because they caught the vision. They believed in the cause. They saw their place in the story. There is a great battle going on every day. Even though we can’t usually see it, we are part of it. Evil is on the attack. We tend to overlook that, or easily get distracted from it. But Ephesians 6:10-20  clearly outlines the armor we need to be best prepared for war. If you have caught the vision, believe in the cause, and see your place in the story, you have no excuse.

6. Friends forever. Find friends who will stick with you till the end. Support is a strength we cannot afford to overlook. It is what saved Frodo in the end.

7. To quote. In Frodo’s final monologue he laments, “How do you pick up the threads of an old life? How do you go on when, in your heart, you begin to understand there is no going back? There are some things that time cannot mend. Some hurts that go too deep, and have taken hold.” Some experiences will change you forever. There are times that it is hard to accept that things can’t go back to the way they were, the good ol’ days. But the experiences that change us, both positive and negative, still lend to our growth. It’s all in our perspective.

8. The end is near. I know there are loads of people who were bugged by the fact that the movie had multiple endings or went on too long or whatever. But to be fair, Bilbo did tell Frodo, “There’s always room for a little more.” Same goes with life. There are multiple stages in our lives that signify one end and another beginning. Each comes with it’s own set of opportunities and challenges. Will you make the best of it? Will you be open to another adventure? Or will you just become frustrated that the old and familiar is over? There is no adventure in complacency.

9. The King will return! I recently heard Francis Chan say that we should live as if the next breath will be taken in heaven. I know I don’t do this; I get too easily distracted by the details of my life. My focus is often on the wrong things, the temporal things. But this promise is something I need to make a priority in my life. The Good News is that Jesus desperately loves us, redeemed us and will come back!

10. Special features. I’m one of those people that actually enjoys watching the special features, particularly this series. Yep, it does take another week of my time but I feel it’s worth the investment. It deepens my love and appreciation for these movies, the story and the characters. I love to know the work that went into making them, the passion people had for the project, and the admiration people had for the director. It’s a glimpse behind-the-scenes of a great work. To me, it’s the equivalent of watching an artist sketch and paint their masterpiece. The really cool thing with the Bible is that we do get all of those pieces. Follow the 66 books through the timeline of history and you will see the same things: the puzzle pieces, the passion and the admiration. No story, how epic or masterful, can ever match the Bible. The lengths that Creator God will go to in order to connect with us will always be the greatest ever told. And we get to be a part of it!

I could literally come up with ten more from each movie easily, or expand in greater detail, but I guess I’ll stop here. No one is probably reading anyway! Heck, I’ve had a good time, though. But now you can get a glimpse of why I love them so much. They are as rich as they are entertaining. I’ve not written anything earth-shattering, but I hope that I got you thinking nonetheless.

And I won’t lie, after writing these blogs I can’t wait to watch them again! I would also love to hear any that you came up with, so let me know.

PS – Did anyone else notice that Mordor looks a lot like the Wicked Witch of the West’s castle? Glowing green and lots of rocks? Evil henchman walking out of a big black gate? I’m just saying…

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My Precious: The Fellowship of the Ring (Part 1 of 3)

Unlike a lot of people, I don’t watch movies purely for entertainment’s sake. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a favorite pastime of mine but besides looking for cute boys and a fun storyline, I also watch for greater truths and lessons. It’s part of what makes movies an artistic medium for me. I think that they can reach and touch people in a way that nothing else can.

And anyone who knows me knows that the Lord of the Rings trilogy contains some one of my favorite movies of all time. In fact, I watch them pretty regularly and I always have the desire to start over once I’ve watched them through. I can’t get enough! Maybe it’s because they are epic in nature, maybe it’s because Orlando Bloom is in them or maybe it’s because they resonate deeply within me. Okay, so probably a combo feature there.

I watched the trilogy again this weekend while I was relaxing and wanted to share a few of the things I picked up on from each movie. Because J.R.R. Tolkien was a Christian, numerous parallels can be, and have been, drawn between his works and our beliefs.

Here are a few I came up with for your consideration:

1. Sacred pathways. You have probably learned by now that you can never predict the path to your calling. Frodo never saw himself going on a great journey. I never saw myself in Atlanta at this time in my life. I’m actually way off my ten-year plan past college. And my guess is that you are, too, at least to some degree. Plans are not a bad thing, but don’t get so set in them that you miss the adventure of a lifetime and the calling God has for your life. It may just be the most amazing surprise you could ever imagine.

2. Never go it alone. I’m a pretty independent person, but as long as I live, you will always hear me stress the importance of relationships. We were not meant to go through life alone. We were created in the image of the Father, Son and the Spirit – by community and for community.

3. Pushing the envelope. When you are serving God, expect to be pushed further than you’ve ever gone. When Frodo and Sam meet the edge of The Shire, Sam takes note that this is the farthest that he has ever been. We all know that this is such a short distance compared to what is ahead because we know there are two more movies. When God is at work, our limits will be tested and pushed beyond where we think we can go. It’s only at this point we realize that with His help, we can go much further because He has no limits.

4. Strange allies. Just like the nine in the Fellowship, some of the greatest experiences of my life have been with people that I never would’ve guessed. They may not even be people I would’ve picked. However, it is always important to be open because it may just be these people who get you where you need to go.

5. Wounds are inevitable. Whether it’s a physical wound like Frodo’s on Weathertop, an emotional wound like the loss of Gandalf, or some other type, being human means that hurt is unavoidable. Being able to appropriately deal with pain through grieving and support will make all the difference.

6. Size doesn’t matter. Galadriel told Frodo, “Even the smallest person can change the course of the future.” I agree. My little blip on history’s radar screen will be full of choices and consequences. My life will matter. My actions will affect others. So will yours.

7. Line? We all have a role to play in this epic adventure. Each of the nine brought something special and specific to the Fellowship. We each have a job to do and a calling to fulfill on this blue and green ball that no one else was uniquely designed for. If we don’t do it, who will? If you don’t know your gifts, strengths and talents, find them out so you can be the greatest you possible. (If you aren’t sure how to find them, ask me for resources.)

8. The seduction of power. Just like Boromir, too many great men and women have fallen as a result of the seduction of power. No one is immune. Draw close to Jesus, ask for accountability and check your motives to make sure you don’t become a casualty.

9. Decisions, decisions. “All you have left to do is to decide what to do with the time given to you,” Gandalf reminds Frodo. The same is true for each of us. We all have the same 24-hour period, even if our options differ. Make decisions that would bring honor and glory to God and you won’t go wrong. When you do, remind yourself that after each dark night will come another bright dawn.

10. Separate ways, same mission. At the end of the first movie, the nine is separated into several different groups. For some it was a conscious decision, for others it was forced. Yet even though their paths took different turns than they originally thought they would, they still all had the same mission. Their allegiance was still to each other and the greater purpose.

Well, that’s my recap for the first movie. Take a bathroom break, grab your popcorn and stay tuned for thoughts on The Two Towers!

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