There is a lot we can learn from Middle-Earth. In many ways, the lives of hobbits do not differ greatly from the lives of humans as we know humans to be. Hobbits lived their lives with a sort of careless indifference to what was going on in the world around them, until they were forced to pay attention when the troubles of the world were tossed into their backyards. We do the same thing. We did live relatively comfortable lives here in the year two thousand twenty. We became obsessed with our daily lives: with our jobs, with the race to make money so we could live in even greater plenty, with our houses and our food… We, like Bilbo Baggins, are quite attached to our possessions and our idea of normal, and the thought of adventure and danger is frightening to us. We are reluctant to get involved in what is going on out there. However, we will become involved- whether we want to or not, because eventually The Great Story will affect us all.
The Great Story. It began with God speaking the world into being. It is a story that has spanned the time of approximately six thousand years. It is a story of perfection being ruined by a disastrous choice, a story with a fallen angel who deceives and destroys and the Mighty One who rescues and redeems. It is a classic story of good versus evil. It’s a story that is real and one we are living each day. Whether we like it or not, there is a war going on, one which we cannot see, but one that is greater than all the wars of all time. We will fight in it. And we are all choosing sides, either siding with the Mighty One or with the fallen angel. But unlike the wars we know, it has already been decided as to Who will win this war in the end. The Mighty One has indeed already won, and the fallen angel and his followers are fighting a hopeless battle. Still they fight, though, and they will continue to fight as long as the Mighty One allows them to.
Like Frodo’s life being forever changed by the Ring, which he didn’t ask for (it was left to him by Bilbo), so our lives have been disrupted by the Covid-19 Pandemic. We didn’t want this, just as Frodo, had he known everything, would not have wanted to accept the Ring, but here it is, and we must deal with it. We are being shaken out of our normality. And it is good for us. We have become too comfortable and self-focused, and now, we have a perfect opportunity to choose wisely what we will do with our lives. Will we continue to live in our own little worlds, or will we step into our roles in The Great Story?
It is time to choose action over comfort, all ye hobbits! We must stop ignoring the battle that is being fought; we must stop ignoring the evil in the world; we must look further than our overstuffed refrigerators and cabinets. There is more to this life than eating (of which we know hobbits were quite fond). There is more to this life than what we see each day, our familiar and comfortable surroundings. There’s more to this life than a cozy hobbit-hole (uh, house). We have received a wake-up call. Let’s leave behind our ideas of what our lives should be and follow the Mighty One into battle! He is calling us to come back to Him. How many of us will respond to His summons?
Twenty-something 