Megan and I went to see 'The Hobbit' at the movies while we were on holidays. It was good fun but we both thought that there were too many chase scenes (who'd have thought a man could say such a thing)... Apparently, this rather short book is being made into three rather long movies, so I'm sure it won't be the last time we'll see our favourite wizards, dwarves and halfings running for their lives from hundreds of goblins, orcs and wargs with barely a scratch on them.
Anyway, I digress before I have begun to begin...
For this post I'm going to assume that you know the general storyline of 'The Hobbit'... I won't go into it, but if you aren't familiar with it you can click here for a short summary.
Towards the end of this first movie, there is a scene where Galadriel asks Gandalf why he has chosen to bring a Hobbit on such an important and dangerous adventure... and Gandalf, referring to Saruman, a powerful white wizard in the story, answers, “Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”
For this post I'm going to assume that you know the general storyline of 'The Hobbit'... I won't go into it, but if you aren't familiar with it you can click here for a short summary.
Towards the end of this first movie, there is a scene where Galadriel asks Gandalf why he has chosen to bring a Hobbit on such an important and dangerous adventure... and Gandalf, referring to Saruman, a powerful white wizard in the story, answers, “Saruman believes it is only great power that can hold evil in check, but that is not what I have found. I found it is the small everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay. Small acts of kindness and love.”
I hope I'm not just getting schmaltzy in my old age, but I was quite moved by this scene and by the idea behind it. It isn't a new idea, and while not exclusively a spiritual or religious idea, it is an idea that is expressed in certain religious teachings. One Bible passage that came to mind was Matthew 25:31-46 - often referred to as "The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats", as told by Jesus. In it, the Great Shepherd is sorting out who he considers "blessed" and who he considers "cursed". His "blessed" ones are those who gave a drink of water, shared their food, put someone up in their home and/or visited someone who was sick or in prison when they needed it - and particularly for those who really needed it. Stuff that everybody could do, but that not everybody does...
The good news about such talk is that it is very empowering... For those of us who don't see ourselves particularly as 'world changers', it looks like we can be at the frontline of God's plan to make the world a better place simply by keeping on keeping on with small acts of kindness with those we come across everyday in our ordinary lives, particularly those who aren't 'in' on all the good things that life is dishing out.
Well, at least that is what Gandalf and Jesus think... and if that is not enough for you, Morgan Freeman thinks so too. We watched 'Evan Almighty' the other day, and I couldn't resist including another bit of insightful schmaltz...
Yes, I pulled out the big guns there... Anyway, I hope that there is some encouragement for you to keep on keeping on with those small, everyday, ordinary things you do everyday that make a difference to those who need it. Appararently, the world is changed as a result...
Shalom
Steve
The good news about such talk is that it is very empowering... For those of us who don't see ourselves particularly as 'world changers', it looks like we can be at the frontline of God's plan to make the world a better place simply by keeping on keeping on with small acts of kindness with those we come across everyday in our ordinary lives, particularly those who aren't 'in' on all the good things that life is dishing out.
Well, at least that is what Gandalf and Jesus think... and if that is not enough for you, Morgan Freeman thinks so too. We watched 'Evan Almighty' the other day, and I couldn't resist including another bit of insightful schmaltz...
Yes, I pulled out the big guns there... Anyway, I hope that there is some encouragement for you to keep on keeping on with those small, everyday, ordinary things you do everyday that make a difference to those who need it. Appararently, the world is changed as a result...
Shalom
Steve
