I'm re-reading my favorite novel, Les Miserables (Victor Hugo), and he has a masterful way of expressing great truths in his touching story. Little Cosette (8 yrs. old, and an orphan) doesn't know she needs to be saved from the grips of the Thenardiers; she's never known any other world than the one she's experienced, as the servant-girl…
I'm re-reading my favorite novel, Les Miserables (Victor Hugo), and he has a masterful way of expressing great truths in his touching story. Little Cosette (8 yrs. old, and an orphan) doesn't know she needs to be saved from the grips of the Thenardiers; she's never known any other world than the one she's experienced, as the servant-girl, treated like the dog. She sees others being treated better than herself, but because of her cruel taskmaster, had no direct knowledge of the finer side of life. She also had no knowledge that Jean Valjean had promised her dying mother (Fantine) that he would take care of Cosette, which would begin by "rescuing" her from her current plight. He is good to his word and, as soon as possible, removes her from the Thenardier's grip, and for the rest of her life shows her the finer side of life she'd never known. The criminal Thenardier's continue to dog them, as does the legalistic Javert, who can't let previous wrongs be righted due to his strict legal philosophy. Life still has its trials.
I guess my point is that until we catch a glimpse of what we're missing out on, we're clueless to the fact that we need to be saved from anything. And we also are clueless to what "higher beings", as Jean Valjean seemed like to little Cosette, are arranging behind the scenes to do us good, to see that we're taken care of, and offered a better life. I can only say that it'll change your life for the better when one of those higher beings comes alongside you when you're at a point of despair, and grabs your heavy load and carries it for you, which is what happened when Jean met Cosette for the first time. Life becomes so joyous that you forget all about your previous, miserable life. If that's not salvation, I don't know what is.
I'm re-reading my favorite novel, Les Miserables (Victor Hugo), and he has a masterful way of expressing great truths in his touching story. Little Cosette (8 yrs. old, and an orphan) doesn't know she needs to be saved from the grips of the Thenardiers; she's never known any other world than the one she's experienced, as the servant-girl, treated like the dog. She sees others being treated better than herself, but because of her cruel taskmaster, had no direct knowledge of the finer side of life. She also had no knowledge that Jean Valjean had promised her dying mother (Fantine) that he would take care of Cosette, which would begin by "rescuing" her from her current plight. He is good to his word and, as soon as possible, removes her from the Thenardier's grip, and for the rest of her life shows her the finer side of life she'd never known. The criminal Thenardier's continue to dog them, as does the legalistic Javert, who can't let previous wrongs be righted due to his strict legal philosophy. Life still has its trials.
I guess my point is that until we catch a glimpse of what we're missing out on, we're clueless to the fact that we need to be saved from anything. And we also are clueless to what "higher beings", as Jean Valjean seemed like to little Cosette, are arranging behind the scenes to do us good, to see that we're taken care of, and offered a better life. I can only say that it'll change your life for the better when one of those higher beings comes alongside you when you're at a point of despair, and grabs your heavy load and carries it for you, which is what happened when Jean met Cosette for the first time. Life becomes so joyous that you forget all about your previous, miserable life. If that's not salvation, I don't know what is.