All That Is Gold
All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost.
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost. 1
This poem by J.R.R. Tolkien appears in his epic novel The Lord of The Rings which many believe, along with his earlier work, The Hobbit, to be a great Christian allegory 2. Understandable since Tolkien was a devout Christian and had a strong influence in C.S. Lewis’ conversion to the Christian faith. 3
But Tolkien always denied this. Still, while you can take the book out of the library’s Christian section, you can’t take the faith out of the man. Intended as an allegory or not, Christian themes flow throughout the books. For example, the character Lady Galadriel is among the oldest living beings, stretching back to the beginning of time.
Even in darkness, we are never alone!
She has great power, wisdom, courage and cares deeply for the least of these…the Hobbits. As darkness grows over the land, she encourages Gandalf the Grey. 4 Do not be afraid, Mithrandir. You are not alone. If you should ever need me…I will come! Years later she encourages the Hobbit Frodo with a gift, a vial holding light. It will shine still brighter when night is about you. May it be a light to you in dark places, when all other lights go out. 5
Remind you of anyone?
Jesus existed in the beginning. In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shone in the darkness, but the darkness did not understand it. Do not be afraid. I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. I am with you always, to the very end of the age. I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. 6
The least one among you is the greatest.
One of my favorite passages is Gandalf’s response to Galadriel when she asks why he chose a simple Hobbit for the dangerous task of helping a band of dwarves reclaim their home.
I do not know. Saruman believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I have found it is the small things…everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay, simple acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid. And he gives me courage. 7
The Lord of the Rings is high fantasy for sure, but it also points us to the reality of following Jesus. As with the Hobbits, we are called to join Him in unexpected adventures, to live in truth and justice, to embrace what is good and shun what is evil, to seek the true King and know that if we seek Him with all our heart…we will find Him. 8
And as we travel along the narrow way, we discover heroes in Jesus’ eyes are not the greatest and powerful, glittering like polished gold among us, but the least and ordinary who by their daily acts of kindness and love keep the darkness of evil at bay. And I find great comfort and encouragement there.
Ciloa Forever!
Chuck
Chuck Graham is Founder and Executive Director of Ciloa, an international ministry devoted to sharing God’s encouragement and teaching others how to “encourage one another as long as it is called Today!” He is also an author, speaker, teacher, and encourager. Chuck and his wife, Beverly, live in Lawrenceville, Georgia, USA. You can learn more about Chuck and Ciloa at www.Ciloa.org.
Footnotes: (1) This is the opening verse of the poem The Strider Riddle which appeared in The Fellowship of the Ring, the first volume of The Lord of the Rings, written by J.R.R. Tolkien and published by George Allen & Unwin (UK) on July 29, 1954. (2) The Hobbit, the prelude to The Lord of the Rings, was published by George Allen & Unwin (UK) on September 21, 1937. (3) C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien were close friends. Like Tolkien, Lewis was a professor at Oxford University and a prolific author. (4) Hobbits are a race of diminutive people who tend to be kind and helpful to each other but are otherwise regarded of little practical use in Middle-earth. Gandalf the Grey, on the other hand is a great wizard who has a fondness for the Hobbits. (5) Mithrandir is the ancient name for Gandalf. The first quote comes from The Hobbit. The second comes from The Fellowship of the Ring. (6) Read John 14:18; Matthew 28:20; John 8:12. (7) This quote comes from The Hobbit. Saruman refers to a wizard of a higher order than Gandalf. (8) Proverbs 8:17; Jerimiah 29:13; Deuteronomy 4:29.
Pictures: Banner: Unwelcome Guests, from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) Martin Freeman. (1) J.R.R. Tolkien, image created by Cate Gillon, 2008, Getty Images. (2) Galadriel, from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) Cate Blanchett. (3) Gandalf and Galadriel, from The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey (2012) Ian McKellen and Cate Blanchett.
