The Easy Way Out

When we face temptations, it’s difficult to remember the larger goals we are pursuing. We want to take the easy way out when life gets difficult. The ability to endure a little bit of discomfort in the short term, however, is key to achieving our long-term goals. The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, by J. R. R. Tolkien, powerfully illustrates this axiom. Nearly all of the characters are tempted by the ring’s power. They want to use it to accomplish a short-term goal. However, only Frodo Baggins is able to withstand its temptations long enough to achieve the greater goal: defeating evil.