Do You Hear The People Sing?…My Reflections on Les Miserables

FRANCE - CIRCA 2003: A stamp printed in France shows Vidocq, circa 2003[this is part of the series “A.P.E. in the Movies” read the other post here]

Tonight I saw the premiere of “Les Miserables” and it was fantastic. I had never seen the musical or read the book so I was anxious to see it.

Here are two things about A.P.E. leadership that I walked away from the movie with and a song for you to listen to at the end.

A.P.E. Leaders are Called to Be Revolutionaries

The movie is cast in the time of the Revolutionary France and you actually get to see the beginning of a revolution come about in the movie. The Revolution starts with a small band of men and women who decide to step out and catalyze the revolt! Men and women full of courage, conviction and vision of what could be!

They built a barricade and stood strong…even giving their life to see freedom come. This small band of people in the movie were truly catalysts for this revolution.

I couldn’t help but think about A.P.E leaders as revolutionaries in God’s Kingdom and the fight we daily fight to push back the Kingdom of Satan. It is Apostolic leaders who take new ground, Prophetic leaders who call for change and Evangelists who win people to the cause and grow the revolution. A.P.E.s are the catalysts. And our job is to take stands at different times so change can happen!

And when I watched the men and woman sing the song, “Do You Hear The People Sing?” in the movie, I couldn’t help but think of A.P.E. Leaders singing this song with a slight lyric change. It really moved me.

We are Called to be Suffering Servants

Today is Christmas and I couldn’t think of a better movie to watch than this one. Jean Valjean is the consummate Christ figure and his character totally pulled me further towards Christ and left my heart more deeply desiring to follow in the ways of sacrifice, mercy and servanthood. He was granted ultimate mercy and then lived a life of mercy and sacrifice in return.

He inter-wove himself with the beginning of the revolution and even saves a main player in the revolution.

I couldn’t help but hear God saying,

“Behind every revolution is a suffering servant”

I want to be part of a Kingdom Revolution…my heart beats fast for it.

But I also want to be a suffering servant and I am convicted tonight to draw near to Christ and ask for it.

It is easy to want to be the revolutionary but not the suffering servant. I want to be both and God help me to be so.

My Favorite Song 

[tentblogger-youtube lYizXBQ5EQA]

When they were rising up to revolt against the French army the men and women sang “Do You Hear the People Sing?”. But I love the words and how they stir me to fight the good fight of faith and push forward the Kingdom of God in this world.

My fellow A.P.E. leaders…

We are called to be catalysts for new Kingdom things…revolutions even

Let this song stir you too!

If you have seen the movie or the musical, how do you get stirred as a Christ follower and or A.P.E. leader?

[this is part of the series “A.P.E. in the Movies” read the other post here]

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About Beau Crosetto

Beau is the author of "Beyond Awkward: when talking about Jesus is outside your comfort zone". He is called by God is to raise up and release people that want to start new ministries (apostolic) as well as people that want to share their faith (evangelists). He currently is the Director of Louisiana for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Beau is married to Kristina and they have three kids: Noah (12), Sophia (10) and Wesley (8).

4 comments

  1. The song “Epilogue” reprises “Do You Hear the People Sing?” with more Isaianic lyrics. I find it quite moving.

    BTW, the revolution in Les Misérables is not the French Revolution of 1789. It’s the June Rebellion of 1832.

  2. Honest answer: I was so conflicted because I loved Jean Valjean’s approach to love and grace and want to be like that myself; however, I found myself thinking “Just go kill yourself, Javert; you’re so annoying, give it up.” So, that’s my honest answer about how I was challenged.

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