On Leaving Home to Save It
Frodo's Leaving the Shire, Man's Two Postures, and Joviality
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Fellowship of the Ring, we encounter a principle of masculinity that is easily understood but hard to put into practice. That principle dictates that men must often leave their homes to save them. Men must turn outward to take dominion of creation and, when necessary, fight off invaders and rabble-rousers.
Frodo realizes this in Tolkien’s work. After Frodo has received Sauron’s ring of power, he realizes that the only way to protect the Shire, his homeland and where his heart dwells, is to leave it. Frodo knows at this point in the story that Sauron is seeking the ring of power and, because it is the thing necessary to return him to his full strength, he will not stop until he has succeeded or the ring has been destroyed. Frodo cannot simply hide because the enemy will seek him out and, if necessary, raze the Shire in his search for the ring. Frodo cannot avoid his responsibility as the ring-bearer. So, he must leave the place he most wants to stay.
Thus begins his long trek, first to Rivendell where he is refreshed, receives wisdom and guidance, and recommits himself to bearing the ring even to the fires of Mount Doom. Then, his adventure continues beyond Rivendell as he seeks the destruction of the ring in those fires with the help of his companions; most notably, his gardener, Samwise Gamgee. Frodo and Sam both long for the peaceful, pleasant life of the Shire throughout their adventures, but they both remember that, if they were to turn back or fail in their quest, the Shire itself would be consumed. Their desire to return to the Shire often serves as the fuel for their perseverance through the many trials they face in their journey.
This brings me to the main point of this post: one primary feature of jovial warriors is that they must be fighting for the love of something behind them. The kind of man who goes into battle simply for the sake of it, because he delights in the thrill of combat for its own sake, in the shedding of blood for its own sake, cannot return and build a home worth living in. His hands are so accustomed to tearing down, how can they now turn to building? The enemies of the fellowship are often this way in the story. They kill and destroy simply for the sick pleasure of it.
But Tolkien also gives us a glimpse at the error on the other side of this principle: the error of shrinking back when the hour is right for battle. This can be seen in Denethor, who commends Sauron for sending out his hosts to fight while he remains protected in the fortress of Barad-dur. Denethor himself, imitating Sauron, sends his armies to fight while he hangs back. Even worse, Denethor constantly discourages any hope of facing the dark power spreading from Mordor and denigrates such hope as foolish.
Neither error is the right road for men hoping to live up to their God-given nature. We must simultaneously be willing to fight joyfully when the time comes but also refrain from becoming lovers of violence. The flame driving our joyful battle-making must be our love for what lies behind us.
Two Postures
Let’s take a closer look at these two postures we must be able to take.
First, the posture of guarded courtesy. When I’m interacting with someone outside of my people (my family, church community, neighbors, etc.) my posture is much more guarded and less trusting than when I’m laughing with my children. Yes, we must be willing to be loving and warm and kind, even when we don’t know the person we’re interacting with. But we must be crafty as serpents, not only gentle as doves. This posture requires a man to be ready to be a fierce and formidable opponent when the serpent is in the garden and guarded until a new voice can be identified as a friend or a dragon. Any dragons found in the garden must be slain, their heads crushed, and their bodies removed from the sanctuary. We should have regular rhythms in our lives that help us continually build our skills and strength in protecting our households. In this, start where you are. Whether that’s firearm training and practice, lifting weights, taking up a martial art, or training your mind through study, do something to grow in this area of guarding your household.
With that in mind, there is another posture we must be able to take: that of tenderness. When facing inward toward his household, a man should be able to be tender, warm, and gentle. He should provide firm boundaries to ensure his family feels secure in the knowledge that he will defend the peace of the home, particularly regarding how the members of the household relate to one another. The family has their needs provided for and doesn’t have to worry about their food, clothing, or shelter; he’s taken care of all of that.
To turn to the metaphor that Scripture uses for this attitude of two postures, think of the biblical model of a shepherd. A good shepherd is kind, patient, and caring toward his sheep; he will go to any lengths to ensure their well-being. He will leave the rest of the flock to find a lost member. He will provide for the needs of his flock. But he will also be fierce toward the wolves and lions that come against the flock because he takes responsibility for it. He has no tolerance for a wolf among the sheep.
Joviality
When we consider these two postures together, it brings to mind a jovial attitude, someone ready to laugh heartily and enjoy the good gifts God has given to his household. But joviality also carries weight. A truly jovial man has the kind of gravitas that breeds security in the people under his care and authority and discomfort in anyone who might want to bring harm to those people. Stop to think a minute about the origin of that word: joviality. It’s related to the name for the king of the gods in Greek mythology, Jove. Joviality is the attitude of a joyful king, one who is ready to enjoy the good gifts of his kingdom but also who is ready, at a moment’s notice, to do what is necessary to preserve the peace and joy of that same kingdom. If you have access to it, read Lewis’s short section on joviality in The Discarded Image. Go into your music player of choice and listen to Holst’s “Jupiter” from his suite, The Planets. This is joviality: majestic, regal, and powerful with bursts of joy and playfulness. Think of Aslan and King Lune from Lewis’s Chronicles of Narnia.
I’ve made joviality and shepherding my goals as a husband and father. I want my wife and children to know that I’m ready to laugh and cry and live life with them, while also remaining ready to fiercely defend the peace and joy of our household. I recognize that I am here to both walk through the trenches of their daily lives and to hold an office before God in the covenant of marriage I made with my wife. When done well, this should bring deeply rooted security and peace to each member of my household.
The Bigger Picture
All of this tenderness and ferocity must be submitted to the fundamental mission of the church, which is the conquering of the world through the preaching of the gospel. Our primary sword is the sword of the Spirit, the sword coming from Jesus’s mouth, the gospel of His kingdom He spreads throughout the world through His church in the book of Acts foreshadowed in Joshua’s sword used to take dominion of the promised land.
Remember, the church often wins by losing. In our day, many have gotten too focused on losing and have lost sight of the very real victory God gives His people as His reign extends to the ends of Earth, here and now. But those of us with optimistic eschatologies need to be careful not to make the opposite error of focusing so much on the promised victory of the church that we forget that God brings glory and resurrection through death. We must be willing to die for our families, our communities, and our churches; literally, yes, but also (and, perhaps, this is the more difficult thing) dying every day in each of our decisions. This is the path to the God-given glory of our households, churches, and communities: death and resurrection.
Practically, death and resurrection in the community might mean the financial struggle of starting a business: facing a lean time for your household for the sake of better serving and caring for the community in the future. Or it might mean a time of difficult discipline and instruction in the household that is uncomfortable for everyone involved but that later yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness for all to enjoy. It could be breaking a bad habit and establishing a new and better one, volunteering time to serve in a church ministry or a neighborhood event, or simply getting out of your comfort zone and getting to know your direct neighbors.
But in all of this, we must recognize that our battle is not ultimately won by civic or cultural victories, though these victories will come and should be fought for. Ultimately, our battle was won for us on the cross. We are now living out of that victory, which is the reason we can be confident that those civic and cultural victories will come. Our preaching of the gospel, that Christ is Lord of all, is our primary weapon, the sword with which the promised land is conquered. It must be, for Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd and the King of kings, established on His throne by the Father who has given Him all creation as His realm, and living and working in the world through His body, the Church, by the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Love this!