In Victor Hugo's novel Les Miserables, Jean Valjean served a 19 year sentence for stealing a loaf of bread in order to feed his sister's family. Finally, he is set free. A Bishop is the only one who will befriend the embittered man. Valjean rewards him by stealing some of his silver. He is caught red-handed by the police.

The Bishop, you will recall, is called to the police station to prefer charges. Instead of doing that, he brings Valjean his silver candlestick holders in an effort to fool the police into thinking that Valjean had not stolen. Valjean is forever changed. He extends grace to an orphan child and raises her as his own. He forgives the police man who wanted to put him back in jail. Finally he dies, holding in his hand the two candlesticks that the bishop gave him. What is it that so completely changed this embittered man? He learned to extend mercy, because mercy had been extended to him.