Les Miserables

Last Thursday my wife and I went to watch Les Miserables. We'd been looking forward to it for ages, managed to offload the kids and went to watch what turned out to be an amazing film..

I understand why some people are unsure about it, the singing isn't always pitch perfect, it's not as polished as the stage show but it's raw, emotive and real.

I really enjoyed it, but then I love the songs...

In a recent article by Threads, the film is described as a 'grace-fest'. It certainly is that, but for me the picture of this grace came in an unexpected place....

I was imagining a beautiful scene of grace, forgiveness and mercy soon after Jean Valjeans release. He has nowhere to stay, no food to eat and is taken in by a local Priest. He is fed, watered, given a bed to sleep in and in the middle of the night he gets up and steals the silver.

He is caught, presented before the Priest from whom he stole, fearful that he'd be thrown back into the pit of jail. The priest turns round in front of the police to say that the silver was a gift. The priest frees him despite his wrongdoing. A beautiful picture of forgiveness...

Yet in the film this scene went so quickly. I was a bit disappointed as having seen the show, I was expecting this to be the big picture of God's grace

But, the disappointment soon subsided as I felt the film re-visited this theme much more frequently and effectively than the stage show...

Later in the film, Javert, played by Russell Crowe (who I didn't think was as bad as some people have suggested), sang a song about how he was right before God to bring justice, to catch Jean Valjean and throw him back in prison. He used religious language to back up his 'righteous' anger.

For me this scene described the difference between law and grace. The illustration of Javert's 'law' faith came across harsh, self centred, self righteous. The picture of Jean Valjeans life came across as redeeming, life giving, free.

I want my life to be a picture of redemption, freedom and grace....

I don't want to be like Javert.