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Can you speak French? I canโ€”quiteย a bit. So naturally,ย when I saw the title of the movieย Lesย Misรฉrables,ย I wasย captivatedย and wanted to know moreย about theย storyline.โ€ฏย 

I had watched this movie several times over the years. But thereย comes the pointย in our lives whenย something just rubsย usย differently.ย 

As I watched the act of mercy being shownย repeatedlyย by the hero ofย theย movie, Jean Valjean,ย I was intrigued, intriguedย because I put myself in hisย shoes andย wondered if I could do it.ย Jean Valjean was a prisoner who had endured 20 long years in prisonย and was released by Javert, aย wickedย prison officer. Like mostย ex-convicts,ย Jean Valjeanย foundย it difficultย to readjustย to life outsideย prisonย due to the negative stigma. Out of desperation, he robs a conventย and is caught, meaningย he may beย spending the rest of his lifeย backย in prison.ย Shockingly,ย theย Bishopย shows him mercy byย sayingย that heย gave the stolen items to Jean Valjean as a gift. This one act of mercy by theย Bishopย changes Jeanย Valjean’sย life forever. Jean Valjean keeps showing mercyย over and over again.ย What got to me the most was when Jean Valjeanย getsย an opportunity to endย Javert’sย life once and for all but instead shows himย mercy.ย This villain,ย Javert,ย has been pursuing Jean Valjean for decades wanting to put him back to prison.ย If it was you and I, I doubt we would doย theย sameย and let Javert live.ย 

Most often, we are apt to punish people for their sins.ย Who the cup fits, let him wear it;ย Orย 

we reap what we sow. We justify our acts of vengeance with old wise sayingsย andย sometimes with scriptures.ย 

I wish the story ofย theย prodigal son could have unfolded further.ย We would find out if heย showedย everyone the same mercyย his fatherย had shown himย in his lifetime. And it occurred to me,ย that’sย what we Christians are here on earth for. To continue the story,ย the prodigal son could not finish. When we got born again and entered into the new life with Christ, we were that prodigal son that came home to his father. Now we have the task of showing mercyย unconditionallyย because we have also been shown mercy by our Lordย unduly. Showingย mercyย isย challenging,ย mainlyย when someone has wrongedย usย andย doesn’tย deserve our mercy.โ€ฏย 

But God expects and demandsย that we show mercy. We are to forgive seventy times seven.ย But how often do we tend the other cheek after we have been wronged?ย 

Let’sย take aย look at our lives.ย Howย often have we paid wrong for wrong,ย especially when the person deserved it?โ€ฏย 

Romans 12.18ย NIV)ย says,ย Ifย it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”ย Notice the passage says as far as it depends onย us,”ย not the offender. We have theย power and responsibility to show mercy.ย I propose a new us. Theย usย that Christ wants us to be. To show mercyย ceaselessly,ย especially when the offender did not deserve it.ย Mercyย with our children, mercy with our spouses, mercy with our colleagues, mercy with friends and families,ย and,ย more importantly,ย mercy with strangers.ย ย 

Yet,ย there is a thin line between when to show mercy and when to punish. Jean Valjean never punished,ย but no wonderย it’sย a movie. In real lifeย and even scripturally,ย there is the need forย rebuke and correction in righteousness,ย as 2 Timothy 3.16 (NIV) puts it.ย This has countlessย benefits– to deter the next person fromย committingย the same offense, deter the offenders from repeating theย crime,ย andย help a person become a better individualย through the correction process.ย 

I always wonder why God would put twoย veryย opposing scriptures side by side. In Proverbsย 26.4, theย Bibleย says one thing,ย and in the very next verse, Proverbs 26.5, itย tellsย the exact opposite.ย 

  • Proverbs 26.4 (NIV)- Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be just like him.ย 
  • Proverbs 26.5 (NIV)- Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.ย 

I believe these two opposing verses were placed side by sideย toย emphasizeย the importanceย ofย bothย showingย mercy andย meeting outย punishmentsย when needed.ย As representatives of Christ on earth, we need toย be both theย lion andย theย lambย that Christ is.ย 

I cannot list all the timesย we ought to showย mercy andย times when weย shouldn’t. But I believe we all know too wellย exactly what these moments are; ourย mindsย bearย witness with us.ย 

It’sย all about the mind.ย We need toย reprogramย ourย mindsย to walk in mercy. To tell ourselves to choose mercy over vengeance andย only to punishย when necessary forย correction in righteousness.ย 

ย Onceย I made a conscious effort to extend more mercy,ย I realized thatย I have been more gracious with my children, spouse, friends,ย and people I encounter through my work. Itย will beย difficult sometimesย butย let usย strive to let ourย acts ofย mercy be more than ourย acts ofย justice.โ€ฏย 

Do not be overcome byย evil butย overcome evil with goodย Romans 12:21ย (NIV).ย ย 

ย 

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Victoria
Victoria
2 years ago

Wow this is very interesting, educative and very inspiring. I have learnt a lot from reading this piece you wrote about showing mercy!
May the Lord give you more opportunities to share your story of grace to help somebody….
Stay blessed Hannarich. The sky is indeed the limit.

Hannarich Asiedu
Reply to  Victoria
2 years ago

Thank you Aunty Vic ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ๐Ÿ™๐Ÿฝ a big Amen

Emmanuel Afriyie-Jenkins
Emmanuel Afriyie-Jenkins
2 years ago

Wow..This is taught provoking.God bless you for this reminder.

Hannarich
Reply to  Emmanuel Afriyie-Jenkins
1 year ago

Thank you Man of God.

Samuel Amoako
Samuel Amoako
2 years ago

“If it is possible”
Dont we always confess all things are possible to them that belive?
Didnt Bible say with God all things are possible?

Why do we forget these scriptures when it comes to showing mercy?

Decide to forgive even before the offense come. Because offense will at all cost come.

Thanks Hanny

Hannarich
Reply to  Samuel Amoako
1 year ago

You’re absolutely right Son! Offense will come no matter what

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