Don’t give up – some things are worth fighting for
Lent – Week 2 – Challenge
Many of our global challenges seem huge and insurmountable. Whilst we may be committed to working towards justice and the promotion of ‘kingdom values’ in the world, there will be times when it seems like we’re getting nowhere. Times when it feels like we’re fighting a losing battle. It is so tempting to give up in situations like this. But this is where we meet a challenge with another challenge – the challenge to keep going, and remind ourselves that:
There’s good in this world and it’s worth fighting for despite the difficulties and challenges.
This thought is encapsulated in Sam’s speech to Frodo in J R R Tolkein’s book ‘The Two Towers’. It is very poignantly portrayed in the movie ‘Lord of the Rings’. Copyright doesn’t allow us to reproduce the clip here. However, the 2minute 34second clip can be viewed by following this link
The same kind of thinking is encapsulated in this anonymous quotation:
Sometimes you will feel like giving up. Others may try to make you give up. Don’t give up. God will not give up even if you do.
If you don’t have the facility to watch the videoclip at the moment, here’s the text of the speech:
Frodo:
I can’t do this, Sam.
Sam:
I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are.
It’s like in the great stories, Mr Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened?
But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why.
But I think, Mr Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.
Frodo:
What are we holding onto, Sam?
Sam:
That there’s some good in this world, Mr Frodo… and it’s worth fighting for.
