A strange piece of news report appeared in today's papers. you can read one version here. A man was convicted of theft of a Bible and the judge who sentenced him to 4 months of imprisonment gave him a new bible and said "You will see at page 65 that it says "Thou shalt not steal. While you are in prison, sit in prison and read the Bible, and ensure that you don't come before the courts again."
This morning our cell once again worked through the "difficult" materials presented by Philip Yancy in his What is so amazing about grace? In the previous week's reading, the author quoted Victor Hugo's Les Miserables in which the protaganist Jean Valjean, an ex-convict, stole from the bishop who offered him shelter against the weather. When Valjean was caught and brought back to the bishop's, the bishop assured the policemen that Valjean was no thief.
"So here you are!" he cried to Valjean. "I'm delighted to see you. Had you forgotten that I gave you the candlesticks as well? They're silver like the rest, worth a good 200 francs. Did you forget to take them?"
And when the policemen left, the bishop gave the candlesticks to Valjean.
"Do not forget, do not ever forget," said the bishop, "that you have promised me to use the money to make yourself an honest man".
Valjean did become an honest man and more. He saved the very life of the detective who pursued him relentlessly.
Philip Yance said that magnanamous forgiveness such as in this example allows the possibility of transformation in the guilty party. While the judge mentioned earlier didn't pardon the bible thief, I should think grace was extended through the act of giving him the Bible and encouraging him to read it. Now, wouldn't you hope for transformation in this case?
Grace strangely.
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