Power, Stewardship, and The Return of the King
[Keeping the Darkness at Bay, Part Six. See also one, two, three, four, and five.]
For today’s Keeping the Darkness at Bay installment, we’re returning to Tolkien’s Middle Earth. One of the most prevalent themes in the Lord of the Rings series is use of power, as well as power’s power to seduce and corrupt.
In the oft-quoted words of Lord Acton, “Absolute power corrupts absolutely.” Though its ubiquity brings the quote to the realm of cliché, the analysis is still worth reflecting on.
Does power corrupt? How should one handle power? How can you use your power to fight against the darkness?
We find the answer not with a king, but with Denethor, Steward of Gondor.
Denethor, Son of Ecthelion
Denethor is a powerful man. He’s also depressed, drunk on power, and eventually crazy. Though the book provides a more sympathetic picture than we see in the movie, both versions of the character are deeply flawed.
He does care about his sons, and he does care about his kingdom. The problem? He doesn’t embrace his position as a steward. If you’ve never seen or read Lord of the Rings or are rusty on Middle Earth’s geopolitics, let me give you a brief synopsis.
At the time of LOTR, Gondor is a kingless kingdom. Several generations after the time of Isildur, the last king of Gondor went missing without an heir and the stewards were established as rulers. The stewards ruled with the power of kings but with the understanding that if a king arose from the line of Isildur, he would be crowned.
The stewards were dedicated to ruling the kingdom well, but as the generations progressed, the stewards acted more and more like kings. Yes, they ruled with the power of kings, but they forgot that the power belonged to the kings and not to themselves.
Enter Denethor. He lost sight of where his authority came from. He conducted himself like a king, and in the midst of great power allowed himself to be blinded by that power. Seeing his destructive example, we can learn a few lessons about handling power in our quest of “Keeping the Darkness at Bay.”
One—Keep Your Position in Perspective
Know who you are. Understand your position. Do your best with what’s given to you, and understand where you’re power comes from.
What’s the difference between and king and a steward? The kings has the power, and the steward is given power.
A good king or leader knows how to effectively delegate tasks to not overburden oneself. A good steward knows how to accomplish those tasks the king gives him to accomplish. In Gondor’s case, the stewards were basically kings. They had all the power a king would have.
But Denethor mistook power with authority. Even though a physical king didn’t entrust him with his power, the Kingdom of Gondor did. He was to serve the kingdom with justice and valor until the king’s return. He selfishly thought he could supersede the system that gave him his power, when he never actually held the authority.
Deep down, Denethor knew he didn’t have the authority, so he sought power to secure his position in any and every way he knew how to. This recklessness nearly caused the death of his last living son, Faramir. This hunger for power also led him to excessive pride, especially in his handling of the Palantir, which leads to the next point…
Two—Don’t Let Pride Deceive You Into Overestimating Your Strength
Denethor thought he was invincible. Denethor thought he could use the Palantir to his advantage. He thought he could communicate with Sauron and withstand the dark lord’s draw to evil. Though Denethor didn’t become Sauron’s puppet to the extent that Sauron used Saruman through his Palantir at Isenguard, Denethor was still deeply affected and driven mad.
Just like his firstborn son Boromir thought he could take the One Ring and use it for good, Denethor played with fire and got burned—literally, on a funeral pyre of his own making.
He overestimated his strength and failed the kingdom in the process.
He thought, I’m a ruler, basically king. I can handle the Palantir. I can protect Gondor like a king and keep it safe. I can, I can, I can, I can…I can’t.
Denethor broke himself with his pride by adopting pressure that was never his to begin with, which leads to our third lesson:
Three—You Are a Steward; Don’t Burden Yourself with the King’s Problems
Denethor buckled under pressure. He couldn’t be king, but the truth is this: Nobody asked him to be king.
He saw Sauron’s regained strength. He saw the armies of orcs, the terror of the Nazgul, the threat of war. He saw Faramir wounded near death. He saw his city Minas Tirith surrounded.
Denethor had no answer for this war. Denethor couldn’t protect his kingdom, but he forgot one thing: He wasn’t king, and nobody expected him to be a king.
Yes, Denethor couldn’t find victory in the Battle of Pelennor Fields, and yes Denethor had no ability to confront his enemy at Mordor’s Black Gate. But do you know who could?
Aragorn, Son of Arathorn, a ranger of the north. Aragorn, a descendant of Isildur, the rightful King of Gondor. Aragorn invoked an ancient oath to activate the Army of the Dead. Aragorn wielded Isildur’s reforged blade. Aragorn led the armies of Gondor and Rohan to knock on Sauron’s door to distract the eye from Frodo and Sam.
But Denethor died too early to see the victory. Denethor killed himself in despair, and almost killed Faramir with him. Why? In his quest for power, he saw the gathering army. He saw the dark lord’s power, and he lost hope. His pride buckled under fear.
If he didn’t raise himself to the king’s level and put the king’s problems on his shoulders, if he would’ve kept his job as a steward in perspective, maybe, just maybe he would’ve lived to see the victory.
The Application
What does this fictional steward have to do with your own journey and your own struggle to keep the darkness at bay?
When given power, don’t use it as a means to bolster your own ego but use it as an opportunity to help others. Keep the mentality of a true steward. You’ve been given a gift, but the authority comes from the one who gave it to you.
That authority, in the end, comes from God. So, work as a steward, knowing that the King sees all that you do. He wants you to use what he’s given you. Do you have a talent? Do you have a strength? You have the responsibility to use it.
But use it to help people. Use it to spread love. That’s how we can keep the darkness at bay—by living lives of selflessness in a world of selfishness. Don’t crave power for power’s sake. All the power you have is an extension of God’s authority, not your own.
Also, as you steward your gift, make sure you’re not putting yourself into God’s position. He is the king, not you. With that in mind, let the king do his job while you do yours. When you exalt yourself to the king’s position, you not only lift your ego to a precarious position, but you also adopt the responsibility reserved for the king.
Here’s the truth: You can’t solve all the world’s problems. You aren’t that good. Nobody is. But you know what you can do? Steward the power you’ve been given well to accomplish the tasks that have actually been assigned to you.
Be a steward, but don’t be distressed. Even when things happen outside of your control, outside of the realm of your authority, you can appeal to the king’s ultimate authority. At the King’s return, everything will be made right. And if you steward your power, your talents, your responsibilities well, you will live to see that victory.
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For more on this, see The Parable of the Talents and The Parable of the Vineyard Owner.
Also, if for some strange reason you haven’t seen the Lord of the Rings movie trilogy, do yourself a favor and pick it up here on Amazon. [Full disclosure: This is an affiliate link. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.]
