The Symphony of Creation: a Hobbit’s Approach to Missions
Mark Nelson, Hõimurahvaste Aeg, No. 1, 2006.
J.R.R. Tolkien describes the creation of his mythical world, the setting for the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings: “and a sound arose of endless interchanging melodies woven in harmony that passed beyond hearing into the depths and into the heights, and the places of the dwelling of Ilúvatar were filled to overflowing, and the music and the echo of the music went out into the Void, and it was not void. Never since have the Ainur made any music like to this music, though it has been said that a greater still shall be made before Ilúvatar by the choirs of the Ainur and the Children of Ilúvatar after the end of days. Then the themes of Ilúvatar shall be played aright, and take Being in the moment of their utterance, for all shall then understand fully his intent in their part”
Ainulindalë, The Silmarillion
Music is one of the most powerful forces in human experience. It unites us as human beings and at the same time, defines our uniqueness. Music has incredible potency, and J.R.R. Tolkien, author of the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, develops this when he describes music as the means of creation in his imaginary world of “Middle Earth.” Tolkien, a devout Christian and a good friend of C.S. Lewis, has given us an image not just for creation but one that also can explain the very nature of Christian missions. For missions does not start with the Great Commission. Missions starts with the design of God’s creation.
“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth…”
Everything about Genesis 1 is built up in such a way as to show the order and the purpose of creation. God creates the sky, and then He creates the birds to fill the sky, He creates the sea, and then the fish to fill the sea, and so on. Everything is planned out, everything is in its place, everything is designed to fit together in harmony. Creation is like a symphony orchestra where each instrument has its role, and together, in a powerful blending of voices they approach perfection. The Apostle Paul will continue this vision when he writes in Acts 17:26-28 “From one man he (God) made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.'
The starting point for missions is right there in Paul’s words. It is in recognizing the incredible value of not just every man, woman and child, but every culture, every ethnic group, every language. We are all God’s children, and as such every single Khanti boy and Komi girl has more value than all the oil and gas in Siberia. We do not start the missionary task by looking down on the poor heathens, we start by looking up in awe at the priceless treasure that God has created in the cultures which we go to serve. Creation is a symphony, and as such, what gives it power and beauty is the diversity of instruments and the diversity of parts. For if every tribe and culture is a special creation of God, then God is only truly honoured by each member of the symphony playing their part in glory to the Creator.
“I was ashamed to be Udmurt.”
These were words I heard repeatedly in October 2004 at a Finno-Ugric Christian workers conference in Izhevsk. Speaker after speaker told of the social and cultural pressure they all face from childhood, making them feel inferior, making them ashamed. But, they continued, “…when I met Jesus, my shame turned to love for my people, my language, my culture.” God’s symphony is richer now, it is more beautiful, because Udmurt voices are joining in, using their beloved Krezh (a stringed instrument cousin to the Estonian Kannel) in praise of the living God who created them and who loves them. If missions begins by recognizing the beauty of every nation as the treasured creation of God, it ends right here, in the music of praise. “After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice: ‘Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb’” (Rev. 7:9-10).
A Hobbit would make an excellent missionary for the simple reason that at the heart of Tolkien’s imaginary world is a desire for harmony. A Hobbit could never be a crusader, trampling others down in a pursuit of their own vision (and in so doing, going against all that Jesus taught). Hobbits simply want the freedom to be Hobbits, and they believe that others also have this right. They know that true contentment is only found if you are who you were created to be. Of course this understanding includes a strong awareness of sin, and of sacrificing oneself to overcome evil which is what destroys each person’s unique beauty. But ultimately, missions is not primarily about sin, it is about praise, for at its heart, missions is bringing every nation back into harmony with the Creator, allowing them to play the unique part that God composed for them, and in doing so, bringing Him glory and honour forever and ever.
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