Another Story

Les Misérables is the redemptive story of Jean Valjean; a former thief who gives his life to God, vowing to become an honest man after a bishop shows him undeserved grace and mercy. It is a journey of intermingled characters that is marked with tense dichotomies of freedom and slavery; sacrifice and selfishness; war and peace; justice and injustice; good and evil; love and hate; and forgiveness and bitterness.

Despite his new path of living as an honest man, Jean Valjean is continually hunted by Javert, a hard-hearted police inspector, determined to take justice into his own hands. Although Jean Valjean has become a respectable and good man, Javert is not satisfied. Javert is convinced of his own righteousness as a man of the law and believes that Jean Valjean deserves the sword. He sings, 

“That those who falter and those who fall must pay the price!
Lord let me find him that I may see him safe behind bars.
I will never rest ‘till then.”1

Jean Valjean has multiple opportunities to defeat his enemy, Javert. He is faced with the choice of slaying him or setting him free. His heart being transformed by the grace he has been shown, Jean Valjean chooses to show Javert mercy and to let him go unharmed. The grace and mercy shown is not received with a grateful heart. Javert is enraged and ultimately is destroyed by Jean Valjean’s loving kindness. Javert cries out, 

“Who is this man?
What sort of devil is he to have me caught in a trap, and choose to let me go free?
It was his power at last to put a seal on my fate, wipe out the past, and wash me clean off the slate. Vengeance was his, and he gave me back my life.

How can I now allow this man to hold dominion over me?
This desperate man whom I have hunted, He gave me my life; he gave me freedom.
I should have perished by his hand; it was his right.
It was my right to die as well.
Instead, I live, but live in hell.
 

My heart is stone and still it trembles.
Is he from heaven or from hell, and does he know that granting me my life today, this man has killed me even so?”2

Unable to reconcile within himself the tension between the law and grace, Javert kills himself. He would rather be dead then to go on in the world of Jean Valjean, a world of grace.

As I watched Les Misérables, I began to parallel my journey with the journey of Jean Valjean and Javert. Like Jean Valjean, I was once a prisoner; a prisoner to sin. I was broken and fallen. But then in the midst of my depravity, like the Bishop chose to show mercy to Jean Valjean, a man who had sinned against him, Jesus chose to show me undeserved mercy and grace. Jesus saved me and gave me new life. Like Jean Valjean, I embarked on a new path, clothed in His righteousness.

Jean Valjean had an enemy, as do I. I have enemies who have hurt me and damaged my livelihood. Although these enemies do not physically hunt me, I feel haunted and hunted by the memories; never free from the pain. 

Jean Valjean and Javert were both recipients of grace and mercy; however, their responses were gravely different. Jean Valjean responded by allowing his heart to be transformed, which led to him showing grace and mercy to others who were undeserving, even Javert. Javert was tormented by mercy and rejected it, which led to his stone heart and suicide. 

For many years I have not reciprocated the grace that Jesus has shown me. I have a heart of stone toward my enemies. I have doubted that God will fulfill His role of the Just Judge. I have believed that my enemies are not worthy of grace. I have taken justice into my own hands by holding grudges and fostering hate within my soul. 

Paul writes to the believers in Ephesians 4:32, “Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” 

As I watched the bitter Javert plunge himself to his death, my heart reacted. Although I have not technically killed myself, by allowing bitterness and hate to imbed my heart and impact my life, I have been living as if I were dead. I have emotionally killed myself. It is time for a change! 

I confess that I am tired of living like Javert. Living a life with a heart of bitterness is not a fulfilling way to live. Bitterness and unforgiveness has stolen enough of my joy. Jesus has forgiven me of all the sins I have committed against Him. His grace covers me and it also covers my enemies. As His forgiveness transforms me, I am able to forgive those who have sinned against me. 

Reflecting on God’s graciousness toward me, I am embarking on a new path; a path of forgiveness. I ask that in the days to come you would join with me in prayer. Choosing to forgive my enemies is a painful feat. It is a daunting task that is impossible apart from Christ. However, I look forward to the joyous freedom and healing that lies ahead. I cry out words similar to Jean Valjean’s at the moment of his repentance, 

“I'll escape now from the world
From the world of [my bitterness]
[My bitter heart] is nothing now
Another story must begin!”3

Sources: 

1"Stars." By Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer. Les Miserables. 1980, 1985.

2“Javert’s Suicide.” By Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer. Les Miserables. 1980, 1985. 

3 "What Have I Done?" By Claude-Michel Schönberg and Herbert Kretzmer. Les Miserables. 1980, 1985.

 

**[Words I changed]