Melissa Villneff is a practical woman.
She tried to make friends
with the young men in her neighborhood by inviting them into her house
and feeding them. But Melissa also kept a shotgun around to protect her
home. Practical.
Well, those young men paid far more attention to
the shotgun than they did Melissa's kindness.
A few weeks ago
four of the men broke into her home and beat Melissa's son. They broke
his jaw and cut his head. Put him in the hospital. Even so, Terrance
Villneff didn't give his mother's shotgun to the intruders. While her
brother was being beaten, his sister, having recognized the intruders,
began to take pictures.
Outraged at her audacity the criminals
turned their AK-47 on the girl. They were going to murder her; they
would have murdered her if it had not been for her grandfather,
62-year-old decorated Vietnam Veteran John Villneff. He stepped between
his granddaughter and the rifle.
John knew what he was doing; he
knew what would happen.
John Villneff died giving his life for a
person he felt was righteous: his granddaughter. It was a noble act.
Still, there is a difference between what John Villneff did and what
Jesus has done. John Villneff died to save his beloved granddaughter. I
think many of us would have done the same. At least I'd like to think we
would.
But Jesus is different. Jesus died to save John Villneff,
and John's grandson, Terrance, and John's daughter, Melissa, and John's
granddaughter, too. But there's more...
Jesus also died to save
those four murderers.
Yes, it's true. Jesus died to save every
sinner in this world.. He died to bring forgiveness to the worst of us
and the best of us. He died so all men might be saved and be brought
into the light and life given by the Redeemer's blood.
And for
that we, along with the other chiefs of sinners, must give thanks.
THE PRAYER: Dear Lord, comfort the Villneff family and be with them
as they mourn John's passing. Be with all the heroes and the victims.
Let them know You care. But I pray Your Holy Spirit may rest upon those
who need to be brought to a knowledge of their error. May they see the
Savior and the wonderful things He can and has done for them. In Jesus'
Name. Amen.
Pastor Ken Klaus
Lutheran Hour Ministries All rights reserved;
not to be duplicated without permission.
