At one point in the Lord of the Rings movie, two characters, Sam and Frodo, talk about their epic journey. They had set out to defeat the evil master while preserving peace on earth. They speculate about how they might be favorably remembered by future generations. 

They guess at the back-and-forth between a father and son sometime in the future. “Frodo was very brave, wasn’t he, Dad?” “Yes, my boy, the famousest of the hobbits, and that’s saying a lot.” 

Frodo laughs and then motions toward Sam. “Samwise the stoutheart.” He continues: “Frodo wouldn’t have got far without Sam, would he, Dad?” 

But Sam interrupts and objects. “Now, Mr. Frodo, you shouldn’t make fun, I was serious.”

“So was I,” Frodo replied.*

Frodo was clearly the hero of the story. Sam was his trusty friend. That’s why Sam doubted Frodo’s statement that he wouldn’t have got very far without him. Of course he would have!

But that’s the thing. Despite his bravery, persistence and insight, Frodo needed his friend.

Friendship matters.

Our world frequently gets things mixed up. We value fancy houses, influence, power, money and complements. Some of those things can be good when used for God’s glory and to bless others. 

But true friendship is one of those things which doesn’t seem very valuable to the masses who flock after sparkly things, but is truly valuable nevertheless.

“Frodo wouldn’t have got far without Sam, would he, Dad?”

Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says: “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up.”

Sometimes we fall physically, sometimes emotionally, sometimes spiritually. Sometimes you’re the one on the ground; sometimes you’re the one extending a hand.

In a world that is increasingly lonely and loud, be a friend. 

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Notes:

–NEW PODCAST AND BLOG: 10 UNPOPULAR THINGS JESUS SAID. This is Part 2 of 2. What I’ve discovered is that you can learn a lot about where you need to grow by being honest about what you tend to avoid.  Click here.
–*As told in: Rebecca McLaughlin, No Greater Love: A Biblical Vision for Friendship (Moody, 2003), 73.
–Bible quotes are from the NIV.