The first time I watched The Lord of the Rings, I didn't really get the whole Sam-and-Frodo thing. Why does Sam keep calling him "mister"? Why do they always get all mushy, but Sam has to carry all the stuff. If Sam is in Frodo's employ, why isn't he getting paid? What's going on here? They're so tight but there's the distinct feeling that Frodo's on the top of the ladder while Sam toils along in doe-eyed adoration.
The book didn't go a long way to explain it but the extra features on the DVD helped. Apparently in Tolkien's day, servants were more abundant.... many military generals and other important people had servants who were with them almost constantly, and it was common for the relationship between master and servant to be very close, to the point where a servants loyalty to his master superseded all else.
In our culture we have no frame of reference for that kind of relationship.
I've often struggled with how to view my relationship with God. I find that most people have a focus. For a while, I focused on "father-daughter," yet later, there was the "best friend" perspective. Somewhere down the road, there was the "soldier of Christ" thing. To many people, the "lover and the beloved" is the view that they prefer.
Paul calls himself a "slave of Christ." Slave? Excuse me? I could understand the logic behind that, but I could never embrace it. I don't gravitate towards slavery, it's not my thing. Other translations water it down.... in them, Paul calls himself a servant.
What am I getting at? Two things. First off, balance. It's great to be a lover of Christ, but don't forget that He's also your Master. It's cool to view Him as your Friend, but remember that He's your Father. Vice Versa. It's good to be obedient, but make sure you let Him comfort you when you're down. God isn't just a Father, a Friend, A Master, a Lover, a Creator..... or anything else.... He is ALL of those things.
Which brings me back to Frodo and Sam, who have illustrated how love and slavery can walk hand in hand. How I can be happy being a servant.
I think there was always this sort of awkwardness when I approached God, like I wasn't sure if I was supposed to salute or punch Him in the shoulder. Like two acquaintances who don't really know how much familiarity they've accumulated. Lately, He's been re-introducing Himself to me.
To me, He is Everything. And I am His.
The book didn't go a long way to explain it but the extra features on the DVD helped. Apparently in Tolkien's day, servants were more abundant.... many military generals and other important people had servants who were with them almost constantly, and it was common for the relationship between master and servant to be very close, to the point where a servants loyalty to his master superseded all else.
In our culture we have no frame of reference for that kind of relationship.
I've often struggled with how to view my relationship with God. I find that most people have a focus. For a while, I focused on "father-daughter," yet later, there was the "best friend" perspective. Somewhere down the road, there was the "soldier of Christ" thing. To many people, the "lover and the beloved" is the view that they prefer.
Paul calls himself a "slave of Christ." Slave? Excuse me? I could understand the logic behind that, but I could never embrace it. I don't gravitate towards slavery, it's not my thing. Other translations water it down.... in them, Paul calls himself a servant.
What am I getting at? Two things. First off, balance. It's great to be a lover of Christ, but don't forget that He's also your Master. It's cool to view Him as your Friend, but remember that He's your Father. Vice Versa. It's good to be obedient, but make sure you let Him comfort you when you're down. God isn't just a Father, a Friend, A Master, a Lover, a Creator..... or anything else.... He is ALL of those things.
Which brings me back to Frodo and Sam, who have illustrated how love and slavery can walk hand in hand. How I can be happy being a servant.
I think there was always this sort of awkwardness when I approached God, like I wasn't sure if I was supposed to salute or punch Him in the shoulder. Like two acquaintances who don't really know how much familiarity they've accumulated. Lately, He's been re-introducing Himself to me.
To me, He is Everything. And I am His.
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