Jean Valjean had finally been released from prison after 19 years of hard labor for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his sister’s child.
While he was free, he had no place to go. No one wants to take an ex-convict into their home. No one, it would seem, except a Christian bishop who lovingly provided him with food and shelter for the night.
When Valjean steals the silver from the bishop, departing before dawn, police catch up with him and immediately doubt his story that the bishop had given him the silver. When they bring him back to the bishop, the bishop does a surprising thing – he tells the police that he did, indeed, intend for Valjean to take the silver and then hands Valjean the silver candlesticks as well saying, “You forgot these.”
The story continues as quoted from Les Miserables:
“Jean Valjean was like a man on the point of fainting. The Bishop drew near to him, and said in a low voice:– “Do not forget, never forget, that you have promised to use this money in becoming an honest man.” Jean Valjean, who had no recollection of ever having promised anything, remained speechless. The Bishop had emphasized the words when he uttered them. He resumed with solemnity:– “Jean Valjean, my brother, you no longer belong to evil, but to good. It is your soul that I buy from you; I withdraw it from black thoughts and the spirit of perdition, and I give it to God.” (105-6)
To Forgive or Not Forgive?
This one extreme act of love and mercy shook Valjean to the core of his being. He turned to Christ, repented of his sins, and became a changed man.
We live in a world that demands justice at all costs. Rationally, we can argue that what Valjean deserved was a punishment that fit his crime – more time in prison – slaving once again to earn his freedom. And this is what he deserved, but it was not what he was given.
Jesus tells the story of a man with a great debt he could not pay. When he fell before his master and appealed for mercy, his master had compassion on him and pardoned his debt.
Unfortunately, that same man then went out and violently demanded exact payment for a much smaller debt from one of his fellow servants.
When the master of man who had been shown mercy heard of this, he said to the servant, “You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. And should not you have had mercy on your fellow servant, as I had mercy on you?’ And in anger his master delivered him to the jailers, until he should pay all his debt. So also my heavenly Father will do to every one of you, if you do not forgive your brother from your heart.” – Matthew 18:32-35
Undeserved Mercy
The bishop in Les Miserables and the master who forgave his servant’s debt are both examples of what mercy looks like when it is enacted.
But even these beautiful acts cannot compare with the greatest act of mercy and grace ever demonstrated: When the God of Heaven sent His only Son to die on the cross for our sins.
When we were still his enemies, unashamed of the stolen silver in our pockets, of the anger and hatred in our hearts, set on our own way, that is when God came to save us.
He came to rescue us before we knew we were drowning.
He came while we still uttered his name in vain.
He pursued us with fiery love and lavish mercy while we wallowed in self-destruction and loved it.
We cannot earn his mercy and grace and that is what makes it so amazing.
We can never be good enough to earn God’s favor, but God has chosen to shower his favor and grace upon us.
As we meditate on the undeserved mercy we have received from God, we can choose to see others with eyes of mercy as well.
We can choose to forgive others because God in Christ has forgiven us.
This is the power of the Gospel.
