Lord Of The Rings

I know that most of the craze over J.R.R Tolkien's cherished bit of writing and the movies they based off of them is pretty much over.
However, at the recommendation of quite a few people I decided to read the "Lord Of The Rings Trilogy".
I borrowed all three books in one rather plump volume from the library and read it in little pieces over the course of a few weeks. I have more than a few thoughts on the whole book but I want to share one thing that particularly stuck out to me in the way of life lessons.
The number one lesson I think I learned or saw was from everyone's favorite character....Gollum.

When Gollum first gave in to his lust after the ring, and killed his cousin for it, he made a choice that would dictate his life and eventually his death as well.
He chose to leave the light and walk in darkness. When the ring was taken from him he was constantly drawn to it and spent his entire life trying to get it back. A slave to evil, his ultimate climax in the story came when he regained the ring, only to fall and be destroyed in the fire of doom with the ring in his hand.

While this is a fictitious story, I found it very interesting just how, more often than not, it lined up with how we act today. We take that first step towards darkness, be it harboring bitterness, rejecting the truth, opening our minds to pollution, or any manner of things, and we are faced with the choice to let it grow or let it go.
Gollum wanted his “precious”; he lived and died for it. We want our sin. Will we live and die for it? Or will we live in light of Hebrews 12:1-3 ?
“1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart”

All that said I greatly appreciated the book/s, I don’t think I will have the nerve to watch the movies :), Aside from the few eye openers about certain aspects of the christian walk , like the one I said above, I did not see the parallel in “Lord Of The Rings” like in “The Chronicles Of Narnia” that I was told there was. I also read the hobbit, and I found it a very ‘cute’ book. I loved Tolkien's writing style in the “Hobbit”. And I know a few people who do a very good job at imitating it.

Thoughts from anyone are more than welcome in the comments section!

*Picture thanks to Google images