Concerning Hobbits & Thoughts, A Wednesday with Words Post

Today we will have our final discussion on The Hobbit in our co-op’s Literature and Writing class. Before this class, believe it or not, I had never read The Hobbit, or the Lord of the Rings. I know its terrible. Nonetheless, I have been officially delighted and enchanted.

One of the things that has completely delighted me is Bilbo. Bilbo encountered a long journey, trolls, goblins, mountains, enormous flying eagles, orcs, wargs, dwarfs, wizards, elves, enchanted forests, larger than life spiders, many unknowns, sleepless nights, forgotten meals, and much more. All together I think we could say it was a thrilling adventure, even if Bilbo continued to long for his arm chair and a kettle on the stove. What amazed me most about this whole adventure was not the adrenaline producing situations and battles, but rather the transformation of one small hobbit.

When Bilbo left the Shire, he was mostly Baggins of Bag-End, with a little Took pulsing through his veins intermittently. As Bilbo’s adventure went on, there were times I was sure his Took side was completely taking over. Then in abrupt contrast he would wish for his armchair once again. By the end of the journey, however both his Took ancestors and his Baggins ancestors seemed to effect him equally, having formed a new hobbit. A hobbit at rest with who he was and where his journey had brought him, the state of being that I often long for. A state of rest and contentment.

While I am sure the whole journey worked towards this end for Bilbo, I was quite taken by one moment that seemed to be more influential than all the others in his long journey. It was the moment that Bilbo entered the Lonely Mountain, and approached Smaug’s lair, the moment he saw the glow and felt the warmth, but could not bring himself to go any farther, at least for a while. It was then that Tolkien wrote the following words.

“It was at this point that Bilbo stopped. Going on from there was the bravest things he ever did. The tremendous things that happened afterwards were as nothing compared to it. He fought the real battle in the tunnel alone, before he ever saw the vast danger that lay in wait.” – J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

The battle in the mind is a great one. A battle all of us encounter. How many times have I allowed my fears to overtake me and prevent me from moving? How many times have I watched my children face the same thing? Even more so now as my son is getting older. I watch in wonderment as he is beginning to face his own dragons, deciding each time what kind of man is going to become. Scary? Yes. I wonder what Bilbo said to himself that made him move? Did he say anything to himself at all or did he simply wait for something to well up inside him, or rather did he feel all of it and finally determined to move ahead regardless? What causes that kind of determination to move? Did her remember something and then acted on that memory? Did he finally and simply yield to the work that was happening in him? Did what he loved the most change?

While I do not know exactly what happened in Bilbo that made him move, I can reflect a bit and see the times that I have moved and the times I have not. It makes me think of the verse in Galatians 5:17

What causes me to go with the flesh versus the Spirit? What determines which side wins in any situation?

I read the following quote by Martin Luther this morning, and it reminded me of Bilbo and myself and the battle between the flesh and the spirit.

“Whatever a man loves, that is his god. For he carries it in his heart; he goes about with it night and day; he sleeps and wakes with it, be it what it may – wealth or self, pleasure or renown.” – Martin Luther

It is about loves. What do I love the most? What if I love something I shouldn’t? Chances are if we are living on this side of eternity; then we love many things we shouldn’t. I know I do. What is the solution then? Are we to remain paralyzed and never enter the mountain? Are we to run back to the Shire and never walk out our destinies? How do we move then? If our flesh is against us and the sinful state of this world keeps us trapped?

I was reading about this same tension in Dante this week. Dante thought himself trapped and blocked from climbing that most desired mountain by a beast, a she-wolf, who sought to kill and destroy. Is there a way around the dragon? Is there a way around the she-wolf? I believe there is, and I think Paul says it best.

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height – to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with the fullness of God. Now to Him, who is able to do exceedingly abundantly, above all, that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever, Amen.” – Ephesians 3:14-21

Expanding wisdom, extending grace,
Jen