Gollum and his 'Precious'

Introduction


The sad and pitiful figure of Gollum of Tolkien fame provides an excellent example of a life lived under the power of sin.  I will try to draw out some lessons from the life of Gollum.

From Smeagol to Gollum

"What do you mean?" said Frodo.  "Surely the Ring was his precious and the only thing he cared for?  But if he hated it, why didn't he get rid of it, or go away and leave it?"
"You ought to begin to understand, Frodo, after all you have heard," said Gandalf.  He hated it and loved it, as he hated and loved himself.  He could not get rid of it.  He had no will left in the matter."
 

 The 'precious' that consumed Gollum is that idolatry that seeks to get life in ways contrary to God's will.  To borrow from a completely different movie reference, Gollum got caught in the Matrix.  As with Israel's sin, Gollum was cursed and "driven away" because of his transgressions.  Jesus puts the  matter starkly in Mark 8:34-37 (Mt. 16:24-26//Lk. 9:23-25):

If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  For those who want to save their life will lose it, and those who lose their life for my sake, and for the sake of the gospel, will save it.  For what will it profit them to gain the whole world and forfeit their life?  Indeed, what can they give in return for their life?
 

When we don't follow God's will we become deformed and ugly, a sad caricature of what we ought to be.  We all at times cling to our own 'precious'.  Our 'precious' can be anything that we get life from other than from God.  We all have caused untold damage to those around us and to ourselves by ruthlessly guarding and protecting our 'precious'.    When we don't trust God we die, just like Gollum.

Romans 7

In chapter 7 of Romans, Paul describes a person much like Gollum.  I think this chapter has often been used by Christians to justify the sin in their life (Gollum too blames: "the precious made us do it").  But Paul is, I think (and see my commentary on Romans on my website), referring not to Christians but a typical Jew before Jesus.  The Christian now has the power to be free from sin: Jesus has rescued us from the power of sin, not just forgiven us our sins--"but thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord" (7:25). 

Conclusion

We don't have to be like Gollum.  Let us give up our 'precious' so we can have that which is truly precious! 

Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls; on finding on pearl of great value, he went and sold all that he had and bought it.  ---Mt. 13:45-46