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Oh, how I have enjoyed watching the movie Les Miserables this year. Sad to say it took me 38 years to stumble upon it!
The music, the scenery, the acting, the story...it is all just perfect.
But one thing I absolutely love about this movie is how poignantly it portrays the difference between law and grace.
Let me explain.
For those of you who are not familiar with the movie (or the book for that matter) stop reading this blog post right this instant and walk...no run...to your nearest RedBox or streaming device and watch it right now.
That's okay. I'll wait.
Okay, fine...for those who have not seen it, but might be trapped under a heavy object and cannot get up to go watch it at the moment, I'll indulge you in a bit of backstory (but pinky-promise me that you will go and watch it as soon as you are able, okay!!).
Jean Valjean (played by Hugh Jackman) is a criminal under the watch of prison guard Javert (Russell Crowe). When finally released on parole, he returns to thievery (because who would hire an ex-convict to do honest work, right?). However, after he steals silver from a priest, who had provided him with food and lodging, Jean is caught red-handed by the police. However, something unexpected happens: the priest vouches for Jean, sparing him another imprisonment or worse, death.
Grace.
Not quite sure how to deal with this display of grace and mercy, Jean wrestles with this (in a very moving song, I might add), and ultimately accepts this grace and becomes utterly transformed by it.
**Fast-forward, 8 years later**
Jean Valjean is now an honest, upstanding member of society. He runs into Javert, who is now a police inspector, who doesn't yet recognize him. After many plot twists, Javert comes to understand who Jean Valjean truly is, and Jean, who has an opportunity to kill Javert, let's him go unscathed.
Grace.
This time, it is Javert who must wrestle with this strange thing of being extended grace and mercy (in another fantastic song, might I add). As a prison warden, and now as an officer of the law, he only understands that one gets what one deserves. His is an economy of law and justice--how does grace and mercy fit into that?
As a result of this internal turmoil, Javert has a very different response to grace than Jean Valjean did; instead of embracing this grace and allowing it to transform him from the inside out, he sadly takes his own life.
You see, when you truly understand grace--when it is offered to you, free of charge--it changes you and effects your life, for better or for worse.
So, now, I must ask: How about you, dear friend?
Have you understood the grace and mercy that God extends to you, an undeserving sinner, and have you embraced it, allowing it to profoundly transform you? Or are you hardened and bitter, conflicted and distraught with the entire idea of grace?
I pray that you truly know the grace and mercy of Jesus--and if you don't now, that you will soon--and allow it to soak down deep into the very marrow of your bones.
For what is life, really, without grace? For our lives--and this movie--is made all the more beautiful because of it!
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