I’m sure most of you are familiar with the creature Smeagol from Lord of the Rings. He used to be a person but then something happened. He found something, a ring, that he really loved and it began to change him.

This is how he looked at first…

Slowly but surely it began to change him. The ring wasn’t just an ordinary ring. It had an incredible power and that power became Smeagol’s destruction. He affectionately referred to the ring as “my precious” even though it was destroying him and eroding his humanity. By the time the ring’s work was done, Smeagol was no longer a person. He became a disgusting creature capable of killing and all kinds of atrocities simply because of his love for the ring. Here is what it did to him…

I think that in some ways, we all have a “precious.” Something that we love so much even though it hurts us. Even though it may be destroying us. I know what mine is….control. I don’t want to let it go. I know that I’m not actually in control of everything but it’s more of a feeling. I don’t like to let go. I don’t like to trust. On the surface this forbidden fruit seems tasty and seductive but it brings with it a whole host of problems. Worry….anxiety….fear…..pride….disconnectedness……and other kinds of emotional cancers. But as Smeagol would say, “We loves it!”

I’m not a Lord of the Rings expert but one of the most powerful moments in the trilogy is when Frodo is trying to destroy the ring in the Volcano in the Return of the King. Frodo had become seduced by it’s power and was even willing to fight his friend Samwise to hold onto the ring. The reason I find this scene powerful is because it offers us a lot of insight into how difficult it can be to do the right thing.

What do you need to give up in order to fight for your humanity? What do you need to give up in order to fight for your freedom? All of us have something. We don’t like to give those things up because they have defined us in different ways. We don’t know who we would be without “my precious.” But we do know who we’ll be with it and it’s just not worth it. I know that I have some work to do. I don’t want to let go and surrender and thus give up control. I can’t let this stop me though. We can’t let the ring stop us. I would like to pray for us.

God, I acknowledge that I have things in my life that I don’t want to give to you. I don’t want to completely submit to you. I confess that anything holding me back from you is a lie and I pray for your freedom. I pray for each person reading this that you would lead them to freedom. Show them the things that are hurting them even though they may feel like they’re helping them. Give them the courage to let go.

Amen.