AI OVERVIEW: Mercy, not mere willpower, drives turning points in The Lord of the Rings. Bilbo could have killed Gollum, but he chooses mercy, and Frodo later says, "What a pity," a judgment Gandalf rebukes by answering, "Pity? It’s pity that stayed his hand." The ring acts as a psychic amplifier, revealing how desire can overwhelm, and Frodo’s reach to Mount Doom ends in failure by sheer resolve, showing this is not a story of a hero who saves the world without help. Yet Bilbo and Frodo’s mercy follows them to the end, and mercy finally saves Gollum and, through him, many others; "Surely goodness and mercy will follow me"—let that mercy follow you today and recognize a Gollum in your life.
YOUTUBE DESCRIPTION: --- Why did Frodo need Gollum? Coming to you from Hobbiton, New Zealand, John Ortberg explores one of the deepest themes running through J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings: Mercy. Bilbo could have killed Gollum. Frodo could have killed him. Sam could have killed him. But pity...
