seeds & roots
steward
steward |ˈst(y)oōərd|
noun
- a person employed to manage another’s property,
esp. a large house or estate.
Return of the King
In J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic myth “Lord of the Rings”, we meet Denethor (the man in the picture). Denethor is a Steward to the throne of Gondor, one of the last remaining kingdoms of Man in Middle Earth. The Steward was appointed as ruler of the kingdom until the return of the of the one true King. As this scene opens, we see the Steward sitting, with a kind of humility, in a plain chair on the bottom step of the great white vacant throne of the King. By the scene’s end, we learn that Denethor’s humility masks an evident pride, as he shows in his rebuke of the white wizard Gandalf,
“I tell you now, I will not bow down to this Ranger from the North (a reference to Aragorn, the True King), last of a ragged house long bereft of lordship… The rule of Gondor is mine! and no others.”
I find this quote very characteristic of the culture we live in today. I hate to admit it, but I find a lot of Denethor in myself (a Christian). I also sense the heart of Denethor among many people in the church today. I’ve met many people who would call themselves non-believers or skeptics when it comes to the Man, Jesus Christ. These people too seem a lot like Denethor.
What is it about this character that is so universal applicable to the lives of all people?
I believe that like Denethor, every person (believer and non) has been given the charge of Steward. It’s the most exciting thing life will ever offer you. It is a calling more daring, adventurous, & satisfying than you’re wildest dream. It’s not a calling that’s easy to grasp, but it’s a calling that resonates deep and long once you have gotten just a quick glance of it’s beauty. Some of us (believers and non) have yet to have heard the charge, but like an echoing yell in a wide open space, it’s ringing waiting for us to give it our full attention. Others of us have heard the charge, but we have disdained it. The thought of the reality where we are held accountable to a higher office makes us angry, and we refuse to acknowledge it for fear of it’s implications on our comfortable lifestyles to which we hold with white knuckles. Then there are those of us who heard the call many years ago. We were bursting with excitement at the thrill of our captivating call, but as the years past time has worn us down. We have grown forgetful and we have sadly settled for things much less beautiful….
What kind of Steward are you?
Are you like Denethor, failing to recognize the True King?
Are you like Denethor, feigning the office of Steward, but secretly proclaiming yourself to be the King?