Les Miserables: Inspiring

I don’t know if you’ve seen Les Miserables yet, but if you haven’t it is time to get off the computer and go to the theater.  The movie is amazing. The music is raw and beautiful.  The story is so many things, but mostly I found it inspirational.  It was the story of a ripple effect.  One priest demonstrates love and it changes the life of one man who consequently changes the lives of so many others. 

Relationships fascinate me.  They really do.  They are so intricate and complicated and powerful.  And I think this is a given. After all, that very basic story line of cause and effect between two people didn't resonate with everyone, the story wouldn't be so powerful.  But just because people know that relationships are so powerful, doesn't necessarily make us great relationship caretakers.  So much damage happens in the context of relationships.  We inflict the deepest wounds and are vessels of the greatest sort of healing.  They're pretty much as messy as they are important.  But they are also so much more than that.   

When there are so many little and big stressors and a million things that need to get done it is easy to be consumed by our day-to-day.  I am so guilty of this- and I am a master at justifying my lack of thoughtfulness…  But that is exactly what causes me to forget what it’s all for.  I don't remember to see everyone as the Lord sees them.  Or that "to love another person is to see the face of God' (a line in one of the songs). Or if I am thinking about those things-it only pertains to the relations that I find easy or gratifying.   

There is a beautiful scene at the end of the film where a host of saints is encouraging others along to “fight the fight.”  But the fight was only important because God.  It was God’s love that saved, redeemed, and transformed.  Real life in the film was hard- people were broken and even with strong faiths they suffered- but they pressed on with something greater in mind.  That ultimate purpose was what it was all about- it gave everything else meaning.    

I don’t know about you- but I lose sight of why I’m doing what I’m doing all the time… Why I’m making a nice dinner, why I started a project, why I signed up for this or that, etc.  And those are the small things..  Which is why I found that message soooooo  inspiring.  It lends meaning to everything and draws out what is really important.  Without thinking about it I have felt myself inviting that perspective into more and more life.  I plan to do a follow up post about my reaction to this so for now, let’s just say that my tender heart has been a bit achier, but feels great.