The Quiet Life Requires Strong Men

Recently, I had a friend suggest that we start watching The Lord of the Rings. While the books are far better than the movies, I am a huge fan of The Lord of the Rings and was happy to relive the adventures of Middle-earth.

A couple of weeks ago, we started watching the right edition—the extended cut—and made it halfway through The Fellowship of the Ring.

From Great Battles to Birthday Parties

As the movie begins, we get an epic history of Middle-earth that explains the One Ring and the defeat of Sauron. We see the great deeds of the Last Alliance and the failure to destroy the Ring.

After all this action, the story turns to the hobbits in the Shire.

We see preparations for Bilbo’s 111th birthday. A simple party in a simple land.

The first time I saw this transition, I was disappointed. I was fascinated by the great deeds and couldn’t care less about hobbit parties. It seemed so pointless in such a grand tale.

Recently, though, I felt differently.

It seemed to be the perfect beginning—and end—for such a grand tale.

Learning to Want the Shire

The Shire is a beautiful land full of simple pleasures, with people who wholeheartedly appreciate them. They rarely go on adventures, instead preferring to cultivate the land they live in. The hobbits want a good garden, good beer, some fine pipe-weed, and to live out their days in peace.

All of this repulsed me as a younger man.

I wanted the adventure. I wanted the glory that came with it. If I had been asked who I identified with as a kid, it would have been Aragorn, Legolas, Faramir, or Gimli. The hobbits would have been at the bottom of my list.

Part of that was my youth, but I also didn’t know how to value a good and simple life.

After ten years of marriage, six kids, and many trials, that good and simple life has grown on me. It is a place to rest, rejuvenate, and appreciate what life has to offer.

I think life has a natural ability to create an appreciation and desire for the life of the Shire. We learn to temper our ambition and appreciate the gifts God presents to us each day.

But we must not fool ourselves into thinking that the simple life of the Shire is easy.

The Price of Peace

In the books, it is made clear that the Shire’s existence relies on sacrifice.

For a long time, it is the Rangers of the North who protect the Shire from the dangers of the world. Once they leave to fight with Aragorn, the Shire eventually falls into the hands of a weakened Saruman. He seeks to destroy the Shire and the peace that exists within it.

When Frodo, Sam, Pippin, and Merry return, they find the Shire vastly changed. They rouse the hobbits and fight to reclaim their home. After their victory, they begin the work of rebuilding what was lost.

Tolkien teaches us that the Shire comes with a price.

As young men, we may dream of becoming Aragorn. We want to be strong, courageous, respected, and capable of great deeds. There is nothing necessarily wrong with that desire.

But eventually, we have to understand what that strength is for.

Strength is not an end in itself. We do not become strong simply so that we can go looking for battles.

We become strong so that the things worth loving can remain.

Life may naturally teach us to desire the Shire. Our responsibility is to remain strong enough to pay the price required to protect it.

Weekly Challenge

Take some time this week to think about your own Shire.

What are the simple things in your life that you once overlooked but have learned to treasure? Your wife. Your children. Dinner around the table. A quiet evening. Work worth doing. A home filled with people you love.

Then ask yourself a harder question:

Am I strong enough to protect them?

The good life does not maintain itself. It requires men willing to sacrifice, work, lead, and fight for what is good.

This week, appreciate your Shire—and do one thing to make yourself more capable of protecting it.

Forge Ahead

Anvil: the place of formation.
Arrow: the mission we’re sent on.

The world needs more men formed in virtue. Forward this to a brother who’s ready to grow.