Editor's Note: If you're using the actual clip, start at 1:17:34. The scene begins at the ** (see the text below) where Rory asks "What is this about then?" Prior to that line there are two curse words.

In the movie The Words, a struggling young writer named Rory Jansen finds a mysterious manuscript stuffed in an old leather briefcase. Rory types the anonymous manuscript word-for-word and then submits it to a publisher pretending that it's his original work. To his surprise, the book becomes an instant bestseller and Rory wins literary acclaim.

Later in the film an old man confronts Rory and claims to be the true author of the book. The man informs Rory that he originally wrote the story in an attempt to deal with the pain of his child's death and his subsequent divorce. Tragically, his precious manuscript was lost.

Later on, Rory, wracked with remorse, locates the old man, who is working in a greenhouse tending plants. With the two of them alone in the greenhouse, Rory tells the old man, "I want to fix this."

"There's nothing to fix," the old man replies. "You just go and live the life you've made for yourself."

Rory tries to hand the old man a packet of money as he says, "This is all yours. I'm going to take my name off the book and tell everyone the truth."

The old man says, "Then you're even more of a fool than I thought you were."

**Rory asks, "What is this about then?"

The old man says, "It's about my life. It's about my wife and about my child. It's about the joy and the pain that gave birth to those words. You take those words. You take the pain. Why don't you buy a plant with that money?"

The old man shoves a plant into Rory's hands and says, "Take your plant and your money and get out of here." Then he pushes Rory away.

Rory counters, "Hey, I want to make things right!"

"You can't just make things right. Things are just things. Do you understand? No matter how you try to martyr yourself."

Rory pleads with him, "Sir? Sir? Please!" but the old man walks away without offering forgiveness.

Possible Preaching Angles: Use this story to illustrate (1) the pain caused by refusing to forgive others or (2) to contrast the lavish graciousness of God's forgiveness with our petty refusal to forgive others.