“Hobbits have been living and farming in the four Farthings of the Shire for many hundreds of years. Quote content to ignore and be ignored by the world of the Big Folk – Middle Earth being, after all, full of strange creatures beyond count.”
Adding on: “Hobbits seem of little importance, being neither renowned as great warriors, nor counted among the very wise.”
These are the words of Bilbo Baggins, another hobbit living in the Shire who himself has been on a great adventure, his own words having become what he was before he embarked out of the Shire.
He further goes on to say: “But where our hearts truly lie is in peace and quiet and good tilled earth.”
The Shire represents the contentment in our lives: harmony, stillness, serenity. Things in today’s age that are overlooked.
As we can see from Bilbo’s retelling, Hobbits are not highly thought of, even if they are known to other races and perhaps this is you too.
You may feel like you are feeling ordinary, unnoticed, even off the radar. People don’t take notice of you or your gifts and perhaps you are being written off too quickly without people seeing what you have to give.
Feeling small, even forgotten can make us feel like we don’t matter, this is especially true when other people sow those seeds of self-doubt in us, whether through their words, or whether just leaving us out, pretending we don’t exist.
We can also fuel the insignificance within us by focusing on statistics of others, fame, wealth, how far along others are.
The comparison trap is deadly and perhaps because we feel ‘less than’ we rely on this to make us feel worthy.
But here is the internal lie that we can easily believe: “If I were important, someone would notice.”
This lie is very manipulative and very deceptive, because it’s something that is familiar, not because it is right.
This is exactly where Sam lived.
Sam’s Calling was Ordinary
Very often when someone is called to something important, we would expect something spectacular or out of the ordinary that makes us take notice.
Or for the purposes of my niche speciality, sets the scene.
This however was not how Sam was announced. He was hoisted through a window by Gandalf after caught cutting the grass under the window.
Even Gandalf was confused and a little infuriated at him being there: “A little late for trimming the verge, don’t you think?”
When further questioned about what he heard, Gandalf saw fit to how Sam could help Frodo.
Being his companion.
Even though he didn’t understand the mission that Frodo was undertaking, he accompanied him nonetheless.
He wasn’t roped in because he was the standout candidate, he was brought in because he was caught eavesdropping.
His skills were the complete opposite of a warrior, domestic, unglamorous, even unimpressive. He was a gardener, not a fighter.
But the thing about God is that, he doesn’t choose the extraordinary, he takes the ordinary and helps them grow into becoming extraordinary.
He’s not looking for competence; he’s looking for obedience.
Sam could have turned around and said ‘no’, he could have snuck away at a time when he wouldn’t have been noticed, but instead he chose to follow, even though he didn’t understand.
Also in part because he didn’t want Gandalf to turn him into something unnatural. The wizard raising his eyebrows, probably having an internal laugh at the idea, because he probably could.
All God is asking is that you are available and you obey, he will meet you where you are and take you to places you never thought or dreamed.
God’s Pattern: Choosing the Overlooked
All throughout Scripture there are examples of people who others never thought could do anything great. They were underestimated and overlooked.
But God sees differently to how others see.
Perhaps this is you right now, you feel like others don’t understand you, your abilities, even the calling on your life. It may even be, you’re doubting yourself by comparing to others who look like they are ahead.
- Others are married, you’re still single.
- Others have a house to call their own, you’re still renting, struggling to save.
- Others are in careers they enjoy and pay well, you’re still in a job that effectively just pays the bills, while you’re on the road to that dream career.
You might be ready to walk away and give up on everything you’ve been dreaming and praying for.
You need to do what Sam did and stay loyal, especially during the difficult times, especially in the periods when all logic says to take the easy way out.
But do as Sam did and stay loyal and committed. He never gave up and God never gives up on you, there will be times of stillness and quietness, but Sam’s quiet resolve to simply be there for Frodo and accompany him, is actually what helped him grow and shape him to become one of Middle Earth’s mightiest heroes.
The same can be said of you, of the difference you will make in this world for the better if you keep walking and stay committed.
The Pressure to Be “More”
As I spoke about in the previous chapter about comparing, which is a dangerous trap to fall into. Feeling like you’re falling behind and playing catch up is actually very exhausting and taxing. Especially in the world of today.
It is easy to pressure ourselves into doing more to the point where we burn out and have our mental, emotional and even our physical health can take a toll.
There is a constant demand to improve, optimise and level up. In fact, we are the ones who place that on ourselves and very often, it is done out of a desire to feel known.
The problem with this is striving for significance silences the peace within us.
God never does His greatest works in a spectacular show, he works through us in the silent and quiet moments. That is also how we grow.
We all have areas we need to work on. You can still ‘level yourselves up’ so to say, but don’t forfeit your peace or lose yourself because of it.
Sometimes it is because we are in a hurry. If you look at Sam, he never once forced anything to happen, he just kept being Frodo’s companion and as the quest developed, he developed and none of it was done in front of an audience or even on a grand scale.
Don’t stop striving in your life, don’t stop pursuing what you want to accomplish and have been called to, but don’t let it get to a point here you sacrifice your identify and even your faith.
You Matter Before You Carry Anything
I would love you to read the chapter title out aloud to yourself, but replace every ‘you’ with ‘I’.
The aim of this is to shed any doubt and reinforce how wonderful, awesome and important you are.
A majestic creation of God.
You are valuable to Him and the fact he created you means you were created with great purpose. The word love isn’t just a word, it is an action and yes, it is even a choice. He created you because he loves you.
You mattered before you were even created.
Love is what made Sam valuable, not his usefulness, even though he was good at some things than others and you can say the same too.
Love doesn’t need words, it needs to be shown. The phrase: ‘Love speaks louder than words’ still rings true today.
Perhaps you feel invisible no matter what you are doing, perhaps you only feel seen when you are actually helping or fixing something.
Sam simply did everything with a quiet love, he wasn’t thinking of himself, his mission was to help and protect Frodo and the fact he didn’t seek or ask applause or prestige for what he did, he is regarded as one of Middle Earths greatest underestimated heroes.
If what you are doing feels quiet, you are in a good place. You’re planting seeds and seeds always need time to grow. But also, they do this underground in the dark, eventually blossoming into the mighty plants they have inside of them, they can’t survive out in the open.
As I mentioned, they take time, but eventually people admire the beauty of what they grow into and there have been stories of how it all started from a seed.
You are not invisible, your hard work, commitment and dedication to your careers, your family, even your dreams, heart desires and visions are not going unnoticed.
Your seeds are growing into mighty and towering plants that in the words of Galatians: ‘Will reap a harvest if you do not give up.’
Action Step
Focus on being your best where you are by abiding and letting God flow through you.
You don’t need to perform perfectly, but you don’t need to just do things with an ‘ok’ mentality. You don’t need to be hard on yourself, nor do you have anything to prove to anyone.
Be the gardener to the seeds you have in front of you. Tasks at work, your very own dreams, managing finances. All of it requires small steps of faithfulness. After all it takes many small victories to bring about the bigger victory.
Presence over performance is important.
And remember, one very important aspect to abide by: rest.
Rest is equally as important as work, a way to withdraw and unwind with something that gives us enjoyment and relaxation.
Just remember to put work behind you when you do rest and find ways to disconnect from it by engaging in the pastimes and hobbies that you enjoy and give you pleasure.
Find the balance and remember to always be faithful in the small things.
A Quiet Victory
Sam began in the Shire, journeyed across Middle Earth with Frodo, succeeding in the quest, ending his journey in the Shire, eventually settling down with the woman he was attracted to.
Throughout it all, Sam didn’t seek honor, he wasn’t proving himself to anyone, not even Frodo. He simply remained loyal, took action where necessary, spoke when it was needed and did it all with love.
We can look at all the grand and epic moments that happened throughout the Lord of the Rings trilogy, but Sam’s heroism stands out as one of the greatest and sources of inspiration of the films.
Quiet and overlooked people can still shape the world and make a huge difference.
If this feels like you, know you are very much seen. God still sees you and eventually the world will see and celebrate the person who He created you to be.
After the Ring was destroyed, Sam, alongside Frodo, Merry and Pippin were honoured at Aragorn’s coronation. Aragorn himself leading the veneration by kneeling before them alongside his wife, Arwen, then every other person and race in Middle Earth bowing down before them.
If you feel forgotten, I want to encourage you, your moment of honour and recognition is still happening, it just may not be in the way or how you thought.
But there are a couple of points to takeaway in preparation rot hat day:
- That calm confidence, keep it.
- The work you do behind the scenes, nurture it.
- Where you are currently in life, embrace it.
Things are unfolding and blossoming, even if you and others can’t see it yet, but just like Sam, keep walking, stay committed, be persistent and your day of accomplishment and celebration will be fulfilled.