Les Miserables- A Grace Story

We ventured out to watch Les Miserables and were not disappointed. This was my first full understanding of this sweeping love story. What overwhelmed me was the grace story that was woven throughout. As Jean Valjean cried out in this song, the gospel was beautifully proclaimed.

What Have I Done?

Yet why did I allow that man
To touch my soul and teach me love?
He treated me like any other
He gave me his trust
He called me brother
My life he claims for God above
Can such things be?
For I had come to hate the world
This world that always hated me.

One word from him and I'd be back
Beneath the lash, upon the rack
Instead he offers me my freedom
I feel my shame inside me like a knife
He told me that I have a soul,
How does he know?
What spirit comes to move my life?
Is there another way to go?

Jean Valjean had found rest with the Bishop and yet stole from him, running into the night. In the next scene he is kneeling before the one that he has wronged, with the local authorities declaring his guilt.

Nothing that Jean could do or say could cleanse him of his guilt. Stepping to the front, the Bishop declares that the stolen silver was indeed a gift! As if that wasn't enough, he also reminds Valjean that he had forgotten the candlesticks, and lets him go, a free man.

What a beautiful representation of mercy and grace.
Mercy-canceling the debt of Jean Valjean
Grace- gifting him with the candlesticks

The Bishop so beautifully displayed the good news message of the gospel.
~We are all condemned and can not possibly pay our debt.
~Jesus has personally sacrificed and paid our debt for us gifting us with salvation, eternal life and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Grace is freely given, however, the effects of this gift will forever change you. The Bishop reminds Jean of this.

But remember this, my brother
See in this some higher plan
You must use this precious silver
To become an honest man
By the witness of the martyrs
By the Passion and the Blood
God has raised you out of darkness
I have bought your soul for God!.

Les Miserables is an intense contrasting story of those who have embraced mercy with those who are merciless. Embracing the mercy that has been shown to them has softened their hearts, while those who have closed the door on mercy only become harder. Receiving mercy for some changed them and gave them grace as well. This gift of grace was then freely shared with others. Rejecting the effects of mercy, showing no mercy to others resulted in the merciless ultimately rejecting the gift of grace with an end result of hardened hearts and broken lives.

Jesus offers this grace to us.

The Lord is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and rich in love.” (Psalm 145:8)

“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is a gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.” Ephesians 2:8-9

“For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 6:23, NLT

“Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you.” Isaiah 30:18

Have you embrace the mercy and grace that He offers you?
Who can you share this mercy and grace with?




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