We all know the power of movies to move and inspire us. Most of us have a character or film that has postively impacted our lives at some point or another. But there is recent film that addresses a theme that is rarely talked about today. Having Courage for Someone Else. THE HOBBIT: AN UNEXPECTED JOURNEY, the first installment of the Peter Jackson’s trilogy adapted from JRR Tolkein’s THE HOBBIT, talk about just this.
There was always something about the Hobbit that resonated with me, even as a child. And maybe it’s the fact that Bilbo Baggins is such an unassuming Hero. An underdog. But there’s much more. Bilbo is the only character who embarks on the journey to recover the lost Dwarf Kingdom who has NOTHING TO GAIN from it. Well, you could say neither does Gandalf the Wizard, except he sees it his responsability to reestablish justice and peace. In fact, it is Gandalf who chooses and convinces Bilbo to join the adventure.
Galdalf knows that they will need someone like Bilbo, who is small and unassuming for the mission. Bilbo is, like all Hobbits, happy–go-lucky, and quite comfortable living in the Shire, until the call to adventure comes knocking. An opportunity to use what he has been given for the good of others. At first he refuses, but eventually the call to an adventure bigger than himself draws him in. But none of the Dwarves have faith in him. In fact Thorin chides Gandalf for bringing him along, saying that he will only put in danger the mission. But by the end of the movie, it is Bilbo whose courage rises when all have lost theirs. The dwarves are all cornered, and Thorin has decided to meet his archnemisis Azog, face to face, but he is outmatched. At that precise moment, Bilbo runs off his safe perch up high in the tree and thrust himself on the Ork about to kill Thorin. It gives courage to the other Dwarves to do the same and the ensuing battle becomes a turning point for the Dwarves. Bilbo had more courage than all the Dwarves, who were trained in combat and whose fight this was to fight. But it took the one who had everything to lose and nothing to gain, to show real bravery and call courage out in them. Today in our culture, we lack real men. Men who are willing to respond to a call to sacrifice for the benefit of others. Bilbo was great not because he was more skilled – he had never held a sword – he was great because he laid down his life so that others could have theirs back again. As Bilbo said “I left my home, so I could help you reclaim yours.” Perhaps you have been made for something bigger than yourself. Perhaps the battle you have to fight is not for yourself or your family, but someone else. Will you respond to that call, where they need someone like you? To fight for those who have not yet tasted freedom or home? “No greater love has a man than this…to lay down his life for his friend.” Do you have a brother, sister, friend, who is fighting a battle where they need your help? Where you have nothing to gain? But they have everything to lose? Go run to the battle. Because your giftings and strengths are not just for you, but for those who can’t fight theirs alone.