Humans are
depraved creatures. I have known this,
but fortunately I live in an environment that often allows me to ignore this
fact. However, the day after Christmas I
watched Les Misérables. No denying the depravity—and the hopelessness—of
mankind after watching that movie.
Hopelessness. Despair.
These two emotions flood the screen for this appropriately darkened and
usually dimly lit movie. Unfortunately,
for too many people in this world, the visual created on the screen is a
reality, not a special effect. Although
I do not believe the extremely harsh physical condition of the characters in
the movie exist in modern United States, Canada, or England, I believe they do
exist in less fortunate areas. However,
the depravity of the mind and behavior of the characters exist everywhere—envy,
hatred, cruelty, theft, deceit, fraud, extortion, and destruction of character
and pride—to name a few. Each of these
sins is coated with hopelessness and despair.
Yet, cracks
in the hard veneer of depravation can happen.
The main character Jean Valjean
has every earthly reason to be a ruthless, scheming malefactor the rest of his
life. However, the unconditional
kindness and respect of the elderly Bishop Myriel of Digne began to make a
crack in Valjean's hard exterior.
Valjean repays his kindness by stealing from the bishop. When given a chance by a patrolman to condemn
the thief, the monsieur shows love to the ex-convict and hands over more silver
as a gift from God to start a new life.
The veneer shatters. He spends
the rest of his life seeking to do good for others and showing compassion.
Fantine,
abandoned by her husband, works in a factory to support her daughter, who is
virtually a slave for ruthless tavern owners in a nearby town. When she is wrongly fired from her job, she
becomes a victim of abuse and trafficking.
All pride is gone, but she endures for the sake of her child. When she is rescued, she does not ask for
food or comforts or even for revenge against those who wronged her. She desires someone to care for her daughter. Despite her ill treatment, love radiates from
her heart, not hate nor the depravity of her condition.
Although
more examples of love motivating characters exist, the lack of hate does not
always produce positive results. Revenge,
hatred, and disgust empower Officer Javert's efforts to make the whole life of
Valjean miserable and virtually unbearable.
However, when Valjean rescues Javert from impending death, the officer
becomes lost and confused. He attempts
to hunt down his savior but finds himself unable to shoot him when the
opportunity arises. Rather than graciously
accepting the gift of unconditional love and finding a way to be compassionate
as well, Javert believes his life is no longer valuable if cannot cruelly
hate. Ironically, the veneer of his
depravity cracks, but he chooses to dispose of his life before the hardness can
completely fall away for fear that his viciousness may be healed. Love trumps depravity, but the beneficiary
cannot reap the benefits if he refuses to accept the gift of love.
The real
world around us today is full of people with no hope. People who live in despair that appear to
have no way out. Some have a flicker of
hope buried deep, like Fantine, and others are so far into despair that they
seem to be a lost cause, like Valjean.
Yet, love can reach them. Love
can make their lives meaningful again.
God has given his children the responsibility of sharing his
unconditional love with all, just like Bishop Myriel of Digne. We are not to first judge who is
"worthy" of such love or who will accept it (unlike Javert). We are to love, because love overcomes
depravity. What have you done this week
to show love to someone in despair or to someone who may not seem to
"deserve" it?
