Last
weekend our family celebrated three birthdays. Most importantly, we
celebrate our younger son turning thirteen. But as part of that
celebration, we had fun on Hobbit Day--September 22--because it's the
birthday of Bilbo and Frodo Baggins, main characters from The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings. We ended up eating seven Hobbits meals and watching a four hour edit of the three Hobbit films as he opened presents.
It
was a fun time for our family, but it also gave me an opportunity to
appreciate Tolkien's view of friendship. Maybe it was the streamlined
edit, but the theme really stood out to me as I watched the film(s) this
time around. Some of Tolkien's emphasis on friendship was born out of
his experience in the trenches of first world war. Even more helpful
was seeing how so much of what he wrote seems to bleed in from his
Christian convictions.
For
example, Bilbo begins his journey with the dwarves just as wary of them
as they are of him. Yet over the many months they travel and face
adversity together, the company become friends. Such is the friendship
that many times they risk their lives for one another. And we're
reminded that "a friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for
adversity" (Prov 17:17).
At
the beginning of the film, Bilbo seems motivated in his perseverance
out of a desire to prove himself to the dwarves. But by the end, he sees
how much he has at his home, Bag End, compared to the dwarves who have
no home. This moved Bilbo, and his motivation changed as he began to
bear the burden of others (Gal 6:2).
When
Thorin is consumed with a desire for gold and power it changes him for
the worse. And Bilbo is willing to tell him to his face. This is more
than courage on Bilbo's part. It was an act of friendship towards
Thorin. "Faithful are the wounds of a friend; profuse are the kisses of
an enemy" (Prov 27:6).
Of
course we're only scratching the surface here. But what struck me most
was how rare such examples are today in the real world.
Many
sociological reasons could probably be given. Regardless, the point is
the same: friendship is weak today, even in the Church. Yet, that is
the very place where it should be strongest. Friendship among God's
people should the standard by which friendship is measured. After all,
our friendship with others in grounded in a work of God. We have a
Friend who sticks closer than a brother (Prov 18:24), one who was
willing to lay down his own life for his friends (John 15:13).
To
be sure, there are amazing friendships in the Church. In fact, most
Christians are friendly. They will send kind and encouraging notes on
social media, help someone move, come to baby showers with gifts, and
cook meals for those going through difficult times. But this is still friendship lite.
Imagine
what a profoundly Christlike friendship would look like. Imagine
friendships that transcend family relationships. Friendships anchored
in the gospel. Friendships marked by: frequent conversations about
eternal things; conversations born of transparency and deep matters of
the heart; a common passion for Christ's kingdom; late nights of prayer
interceding for others; vacation time from work used to help care for
someone fighting cancer; or allowing someone to use a car or sleep in
our home for an extended period of time. It's the kind of friendship
that joyfully, sacrificially puts others before ourselves (Phil 2:1-11).
None
of us will face orcs or goblins on an adventurous quest. Many of us
will never have our friendship tested in battle. But all of us are even
now having our mettle tested in the everyday experiences of life. Will
we be distracted? Will we be consumed with entertainment? Will we bow
to the idol of convenience?
Or,
looking to Jesus, will we find forgiveness for past failures, security
in his perfect Friendship even unto death, and follow his example as our
risen King with those God has put into our lives?
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