The Transforming Power of Forgiveness

Here is an article that was given to me and I thought it was great!

The Transforming Power of Forgiveness by: C.S Cowles

In his sprawling novel of the French Revolution, Les Miserables, Victor Hugo spins a remarkable story of forgiveness and its power to transform character. For the crime of stealing bread, Jean Valjean was sentenced to 19 years of hard labor. Upon his released, he wandered four days as a homeless vagrant. Finally, a kindly bishop had mercy on him and took him in. That night, Valjean rummaged through the cupboard of the family silver, stuffed in his sack, and crept off into the darkness.
The next morning, three policemen knocked on the bishop's door with Valjean in cuffs. They caught the felon in flight with the stolen silver, and were ready to send the scoundrel back to prison for life. The bishop exclaimed, "So here you are!I'm delighted to see you. Had you forgotten that I gave you the candlesticks as well? They're silver like the rest, and worth a good 200 francs. Did you forget to take them?"
Jean's eyes widened in disbelief, The police were incredulous. The bishop assured them that Valjean was no thief. "This silver was my gift to him."
After the police left, the bishop gave the candlesticks to his guest, now trembling with gratitude. He felt like a condemned man whose life had just been given back to him."Do not forget,do not ever forget," says the bishop,"that you have promised me to use the money to make yourself an honest man."
The bishop's gift of grace defies every natural instinct and social understanding of justice. He neither demands nor waits for evidence of repentance. He believes that true forgiveness is a "gift" that goes "before"the recipient has done anything to merit it.
Jean Valjeans's granite heart melted. He became a changed man, and devoted the rest of his life to helping others. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation;the old has gone, the new has come!"(2 Corinthians 5:17)