Haven’t seen the movie’s in a while, but I just read the book, and while I was sitting chatting on my computer, my mom flipped past TNT showing The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, and I heard Gandalf say, “…do all who live…” and I immediately quoted the rest. So, besides the fact that I probably know that movie a little too well (hey, I was a LotR fanatic a few years ago) I still love that quote. I’ll post it here.
“I wish this had never happened to me. I wish the Ring had never come to me,” said Frodo.
“So do all who live to see such times,” said Gandalf. “But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us.“
– J.R.R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings
Tolkien’s got it, eh? I underlined the important parts. Read them a few times, and ponder the meaning. It’s not too deep. “That is not for them to decide.” What does that mean? We have no right to change or choose what happens to us. What do he have the choice to decide? “…What to do with the time that is given us.” Ah. So not only do we live in times that bad or troublesome things happen, but that time has been given to us. Why would God give us something bad? To see what your decision is on how to use it? Is this a stewardship thing? Of course. This life isn’t OURS. It’s a gift that’s not earned whatsoever. Are you living it just to leave it? Or are you earning it by living it?
Leave a Reply