Just some early morning thoughts from me to you…

“Take my hand, and lead me to salvation

Take my love, for love is everlasting

And remember, the truth that once was spoken:

To love another person is to see the face of God.”

Victor Hugo, Les Miserables

It was to be nothing special other than a quiet Sunday afternoon in our home. That was our plan.

But then, with the encouragement of our son, Nathan, Lynda and I decided to spend part of the afternoon yesterday seeing the recently released movie, Les Miserables.

Life-changing potential.

We had seen Les Miserables on Broadway over twenty-five years ago. It was an “accidental occurrence” which caused us to see it in the first place on that occasion. We had traveled with friends for the weekend there, and among other things, planned to see the musical, Phantom of the Opera, on Friday evening. Thursday was open and we were provided tickets to Les Miserables, just to fill the evening.

Life-changing potential.

Since then we attended touring company performances on four other occasions in London, and Jacksonville, Gainesville, and Tampa.

Life-changing moments, potentially, all.

And as it turned out yesterday, there would be no stops afterward short of home, since Lynda’s eyes were red and her nose still a bit stuffy from sobbing through most of what was a heart-wrenching, inspiring call to be all whom God has created you to be, and reach out with Him to help others do the same.

The movie, as was the play, both from the novel by Victor Hugo, reaches deep within that part of all of us God created that seeks to make a difference, to restore justice, and attempts to inspire us to aspire to lift the least among us. Its message is clear, that despite all the unfairness and injustices of life, the depravity of mankind, and the apathy of our everyday lives—God’s grace continues to reach down through the sewers of life, to touch our individual lives hoping, seeking and expecting our response to do the same for others as we follow Him. To follow to a place where He intends for us to be, to a place where He created us to be—to become all that He envisioned our lives would be for and with Him. And a place where we, with and through Him, touch the world for good.

The message was one of life-changing potential, but only if we respond with more than emotions. Like everything else that moves us deeply from within, actions beyond our emotions, steps beyond our words, commitment beyond our tears, and faith beyond our doubt is the life to which God continues to call His people as they follow Him.

To answer the call and respond to voices rising in need, lives living in despair, hearts confined in injustice, and His children seeking life as He meant it to be—lived to its fullest potential for themselves and others.

Life-changing potential—if we act, move, seek, and follow the God who calls us to do more than hear, and more than simply to be moved in our hearts, but, also, to hear and be moved with our hands and our feet and our lives—for Him and all the world. The musical closes with this song—

Do you hear the people sing? Lost in the valley of the night

It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light

For the wretched of the earth, there is a flame that never dies

Even the darkest nights will end and the sun will rise

They will live again in freedom in the garden of the lord

They will walk behind the plough share, they will put away the sword

The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward!

Will you join in our crusade?

Who will be strong and stand with me?

Somewhere beyond the barricade is there a world you long to see?

Do you hear the people sing? Say, do you hear the distant drums?

It is the future that they bring when tomorrow comes!

It was to be a quiet Sunday afternoon in our home. Nothing more, nothing less. That was our plan. That was our desire.

But as He so often does, God saw our day differently, and filled it with a message of life-changing potential.

Something to think about today and everyday—for the rest of our lives.

In His Name—Scott

Copyright 2013. Scott L. Whitaker. All rights reserved.