Concerning Hobbits

Somehow, no matter what mood I happen to be in - whether happy, sad, angry, etc. - Lord of the Rings always seems like a good idea. In honor of some of my close best friends, my love for all things Hobbit-y and my dear sweet father, I have decided to write a blogpost "concerning Hobbits". Now, you might be wondering why I could be writing a blogpost on Hobbits and how on earth it is going to somehow translate into a spiritual lesson. Well, don't you fret my good friend, because there are spiritual lessons in everything - even in Hobbits.

The word "humility" is related to the word "humus", which means "dust" or "earth". Thousands of years ago, a humble person could be seen bowing at the feet of someone great, causing them to be close to the ground and "in the dust". In the Bible, a picture of this is painted when Jesus washes the feet of the disciples in a "bowing" manor, close to the ground and in the dust. In the earlier years, the lower you bowed - the closer to the ground you got - the more humility and respect you had for the person you were bowing to. Sort of like how in the Bible times, when one was praying they laid face down in the dirt, because they were offering up respect and humility towards the Lord.

Did you know the average height of a Hobbit is three foot six inches? I bet you didn't, but now you do. That seems awfully tiny, doesn't it? It seems awfully...close to the ground. Hobbits are small folk and often called "half-lings" because of their stature. One of the greatest lessons we can learn from Hobbits is how to be humble. These little creatures portray humility more than any other person or creature in all of Middle-Earth, giving us a clear picture of how "humus" is displayed. At first, it makes no sense as to why Tolkien would send such a small creature into Mordor, full of darkness, danger and death. It also makes no sense as to why Gandalf would ask a Hobbit to come on an adventure with him to go fight off a dragon with only rowdy dwarves as companions. Why, pick creatures so small? Why would Gandalf pick beings so unable to stand up and declare their territory, instead of elves or men? Because they are humble and close to the ground.

Hobbits do not fancy themselves as equals to the mighty people of Middle-Earth. They want nothing to do with wild wizards, the insane deeds of men and the ancient and wondrous elves; they prefer to be left in their homes; homes that are created beneath the "earth". For example, in the beginning of The Hobbit, Tolkien begins describing a hole. "In a hole, in the ground lived a Hobbit..." - here, we see the humble Hobbit living in a humble home. How often do we bury ourselves in humility and hide away to spend some time with God, just as the Hobbits hide away for peace?

If you have ever watched Lord of the Rings or read the books, perhaps you wonder why the Ring affects almost anyone around it, but hardly affects the Hobbits. Well, that is because the Hobbits do not think themselves as anyone or anything special. They see no extravagance in the way they live; they see no reason to be vain, unlike the elves that are pristine and the men that constantly seek power. The Hobbits, seek nothing. They live to enjoy their simple lifestyles with what they have, instead of fighting for something they do not need. How often we as humans fight for something we do not need, instead of investing our time into something we do need (God)?

Sometimes it's a little hard to be humble - no, often times it's really hard! When we serve, sometimes we want every single person to know the good we're doing, because we think we must brag about our goodness. When really, everything we do is to be done not out of vain, but out of humility and servitude. Do you think Frodo decided to take the Ring to Mordor because he wanted to be lifted up and exalted? No! Frodo took the Ring to Mordor because he was willing to sacrifice his own life in humility; to save the ones he loved. Want to know who did the same thing? Well...Jesus did, that's who. When he performed miracles, he didn't boast about his abilities; instead, he passed like a ship in the night pretending that he was just an ordinary man.

So who are you? Are you a Hobbit or a Saruman? Do you bow before the Lord and serve out of humility? Or do you stand before God and brag about all the "good things" you're doing? Perhaps it's time to ask God for a little less bragging and a little more humility. And maybe, it's time to be a little more like Jesus and a little less like satan.

"Whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:4