Within his epic Tolkien was constantly contrasting opposites. Light and dark are at constant odds, and constantly mirrored against each other. There are two towers set against each other (Minas Tirith and Minas Morgul), two ring bearers (Gollum and Frodo), etc...
Of all his contrasts in tale, none is better at getting this point across than the two White Wizards Tolkien places in his story, Saruman and Gandalf. Saruman and Gandalf look almost alike, both possess incredible power, and both are capable of bending others to their will. They look and seem so alike that even characters who travel with Gandalf for years end up mistaking one for the other at points. Both even desire to overthrow evil. The one significant difference between the two are the ways they decide to go about their work.
Saruman seeks out knowledge and places the things of the mind first. He tries to understand the way the world works, creates new technology, and studies people and places systematically. Gandalf on the other hand chooses to seek relationships, people, and love first. He desires to know people, their history, who they are, and how he can help them. In the end, Saruman gains what he desires. He gains knowledge and power, and then, because he has no love for those around him, he ends up destroying them and himself in order to push them to do what he thinks is right. On the other hand, Gandalf gives of himself to protect others, even to the point of death, and is in turn given power and authority over others so he can go back and sacrifice even more for him. Saruman dies pitifully and miserably, self-diluted and self-pitying. Gandalf goes in peace to Paradise a victor and loved by those he gave everything for.
What Tolkien was getting at is absolutely incredible. Here we see the dangers of the pursuit of self-empowerment. Saruman tried to gain wealth, knowledge, and power, believing that, at a point, he could use it all to help others. But in his quest to make more of himself, he began to take his eyes of the ultimate goal and began to see the act of self-accumulating as an end in and of itself. On the other hand we see the empowerment that comes with self-sacrifice in Gandalf, who pursues others' well-being with no consideration for his own good and gains incredible knowledge, power, and wisdom in the process.
The lesson seems obvious and straightforward at first, but at second-glance seems absolutely counterintuitive to everything this world tells us. So often we are told that, once we gain enough, we will eventually have enough to give to others. The man who wants to get rich claims that, once he has enough, he will give to charity. The woman who is trying to be an M.D. says that, once she has a profession, then she can start helping people. The person who seeks that position of power and authority tells everyone that once they have it they will work hard to take care of all those under them. But when is enough enough? When do you have enough wealth to give generously? When do you have enough skill to care the needy? When do you have enough power to serve others? At what point do we draw the line?
In Matthew 25:14-30 Jesus tells a parable of three servants who are entrusted with some of their master's wealth. two go out and make profit with the money they are given, but the third decides to hide what he is given and protect what he has. The first two servants are rewarded for risking what they had for the good of their master, but the third is cursed for keeping what he had to himself.
In the same way, we so often waste our time holding our gifts back from the world, saying that, when the time is right or when we have enough, then we will give if ourselves. But God never asks for what we might have in the future, he asks us to serve Him with our gifts now. No talent, skill, or potency can compare with the awesome being who made us. He doesn't ask for us to give something others will consider beneficial. What we have right now is what he wants.
And when we take that risk and serve others with what we have, we find that what He gives us in return is worth so much more than we can make on our own. When we put others first and give ourselves away, we give Him the chance to fill us up with something even better to give away again. This is what it means to play a part in Christ's endless cycle of love.
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.Come and share your master’s happiness!" - Matthew 25: 23
Praying we all hear those words when we finally get Home! God bless!
