It’s a world with dragons, as well. The dragons and humans long ago signed a peace treaty, and the Dragonslayers were the enforcers of that treaty. But dragons are dwindling as well. It is thought that the dragons might have something to do with the magic. So when the last dragon dies, will the magic die totally?
Most of the humans don’t worry about that. They want the dragon’s treasure. They want the dragon’s lands. And so they cry out for the dragon’s death. But the last Dragonslayer does not want to kill the last dragon. She sees value in the dragon’s knowledge and in the dragon himself, the magic that must not die.
The book made me think of Philip Yancey’s “Disappointment with God”. He talks about the times when God’s presence could be seen by the Israelites—in the cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night—the Shekinah of the Lord. Yet, even with His presence so very visible and in front of their eyes every day, the Israelites rebelled.
Perhaps, as the “magic” dwindles away in our society, we see our Christian gifts used only quietly. Perhaps we don’t expect as much of ourselves—how can we possibly top a Peter or a Paul? A Moses or a David? Perhaps we just feel the “magic” dwindling away inside of us, as our Christianity seems not to have much relevance in this world.
But the last Dragon is still alive. Aslan is awake. And the greatest magic of all—God’s great love for us—is visible for all to see. The quietness of the gift doesn’t matter—just as in the book, where the last Dragonslayer measured extremely low in magic, before she was told her true nature. What matters is that the gift is there, whether you recognize it or not, and that you allow its use and growth, that you embrace who you are in God and the talents that He has given you to love others and to show His love—His magic—shining through you.
©L.F. Haynie, August 22, 2015