I am a sucker for stories like these. Living and dying for a cause that is bigger than me, etc.. I was so stirred especially by the ending. (Who wasn't moved by the ending?) Don't we all want to be surrounded by those whom we have touched in our lifetime when that lifetime is coming to a close?
But In the end, it all boils down to the candlesticks. The priest who buys Valjean's soul with his act of mercy - he claims his life for God, and it works. The scene where Valjean decides to start again ended up being one of my favourite scenes of the movie. His papers - the statement given to him by the system, that declared him dangerous and a criminal - ripped up, thrown off the side of the mountain all to show that this man could begin again. I sure don't want to sound trite by pointing out the obvious metaphors in this movie, but they are so powerful and such a good reminder to each of us.
We get to start again. No matter what.
No matter what people say, no matter how much time has passed, no matter how badly we have behaved, we all get another chance, and another chance and another chance.
And yet there is Javert, and in his own words he decides that it is either Valjean, or himself. They cannot co-exist. In the end grace wins out.
It seems to me that these two trains of thought are timeless. These two approaches even to Christianity are the crux of most struggles that people have with our faith. I have heard the arguments from the ones who would lean toward the Javert worldview - Law first, only Law, man must know that they are sinners and it is our job to tell them.
And I know the Valjean types, saved by mercy, totally aware of their unworthiness, completely grateful and determined to give back the love they were freely given, desperate for others to experience the freedom they know.
I pray to be the second.
My husband is always good at telling the story of GK Chesterton who said that children didn't need to be told that there is a bogeyman - they need to know that there is a hero who can slay him.
In the core of our hearts we know that we are desperately bankrupt, and hopelessly flawed. You can't convince me that we don't. What we need to know is that there is a Saviour who is bigger than the biggest messes we find ourselves in.
And we need to know that when we are ready to meet Him, His arms are open wide to embrace our broken hearts.
These mended hearts are the ones who will change the world.
It is the life that is filled with grace that is inviting, intriguing, unexplainable. Grace changes us so deeply - it has no stone to throw. It is a life ready to give a 1,000 chances because they know that they have been given that many if not more.
I think of our times and how history will tell our story. So many arguments about what kinds of guns we should or shouldn't allow, raising the debt ceiling, Democrats, Republicans, Bi-Partisan, no partisan...on and on it goes. What will be the legacy of our lifetime?
I just can't help but wonder what would happen if the world around us saw grace filled Christians living out their grace-filled lives daily? It would be a total game changer. I know it would be, because Les Miserables has been a blockbuster for decades.
I suppose for me I needed to be reminded that one life can make a difference. One story of redemption can jump over the lines of belief systems and bring us a message of hope and purpose. We all relate, because I imagine we all want to have the same story - My life mattered, my pain was made beautiful, my sacrifices made a difference for at least one other life."To love another person is to see the face of God"
Amazing.
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