Do You Have Beacons of Aid or of Hindrance?

Have you ever expected the help of a friend, only to be let down? Or have you gotten sour advice or told something that you really didn't want to hear? I'm sure that you have, and I most definitely know that I have. How do you react to that situation? Are you willing to help them, when they need help even though they stiffed you?

In Peter Jackson's The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring an outlying province of Rohan is attacked at the fortress of Helms Deep. The enemy has great strength in numbers and have a strong battle plan. Rohan was left to fight alone with no help from their capitol city of Minas Tirith, and was nearly defeated! Weeks later the enemy is attacking the White City of Minas Tirith, with even more numbers, their full force! Upon hearing this plan, Theoden, King of Rohan, is asked if he will help to which he responds rashly, "Tell me, why should we ride to the aid of those who did not come to ours? What do we owe Gondor?"

Is this not the natural reaction? They [Rohan] were burned when they needed help the most! They saw no reason to help, felt no remorse, no commitment to the suffering of the others.

Is this your attitude when people are rude to you, give you bad advice, or no advice at all? Bitterness is a strange emotion, better described by animosity, nothing good can come of it. That resentment grows within you and makes you cold and hard towards that person or even the idea of undeserved help.

Yet, a beacon of hope remained:

A series of beacons are stationed along the territories of Gondor to quickly signal for aid. Initially lit in Minas Tirith, they are lit all the way to Rohan and seen by Aragorn who exclaims that the beacons of Gondor are lit! The Theoden proudly answers "And Rohan will answer!"

Getting over the injustice that was done to them, Rohan helps to the death!

In God, we have no place for those harsh feelings! We are sinners at birth, deserving the wrath of God, we don't deserve anything from Him. And yet, in His grace and love he extends to us a beacon of hope and light. Jesus Christ and His death on the cross was a beacon to the entire world. Not a beacon of asking for aid, but of granting it. A light in the world amidst all the darkness. A savior in eternity from eternal separation from God, eternal damnation.

Next time someone wrongs you, or you feel that you deserve more in a situation remember how undeserving we are of the gift of God, and how a simple act of kindness toward another can change their entire perspective!

I pray that I can repay bitterness with kindness, anger with love and show others that the amazing love of Christ has more power then any Nazgul or ring of power!

Go forth, and slay Orcs for Christ!

Himp