Last night I saw my favorite musical, Les Miserables, in Dallas. It is one of the best pictures of the difference between law and grace. This is an area I struggle with, especially leaning towards the law side, and missing or not realizing the presence of grace.
The contrast is most powerful as you see the two lead characters, Jean Valjean and Javert, come to face with a kind of grace that neither understands. For Valjean, grace is given when he steals the silver of a bishop, who not only forgives him, but gives Valjean the rest of his silver. Javert is astonished when Valjean lets him go instead of killing him, when Javert has hunted Valjean his entire life. Both are forced to “do” something with this grace. Each makes a different choice, but both with a death.
For Valjean, he realizes that his previous life must end – he can no longer live as he has: angry, defensive, thinking the world is only out to get him. How difficult, after being in prison for almost 20 years, for stealing a loaf of bread. And thus Valjean surrenders to the grace and becomes a changed man. Bound and ruined by the law, he is freed and transformed by grace.
For Javert, he has lived his entire life within the rules, following the letter of the law. He has no room for grace, no room to allow Valjean to go free, even when Valjean did not kill him when he had opportunity. He cannot continue to live as he has – legalistic, exacting, and unbending. But unfortunately, Javert is unable to embrace grace and instead kills himself.
What is the difference between the two? Why was Valjean able to accept grace but Javert was not? I think it is because one understood his real state and the other did not. Valjean was a criminal and therefore grace was his only option for freedom. Javert, on the other hand, lived a “perfect” law-abiding life and therefore had no need for grace. Freedom for Valjean was through grace. Freedom for Javert was through obedience to the law. In the end, who was free?
Galatians 5:1 says that “it was for freedom that Christ set us free." Christ set us free from the law, purchasing our freedom through his death, and offering it freely to us through grace. As you celebrate this Christmas season, remember that it is through Him that you and I are able to truly live freely. Merry Christmas!
I also blogged about these same scenes in Les Mis here.
