Showing grace to a killer?! 👀🔥

Hey Reader,

Once a month I send an email with Christian memes to brighten your day and provide some lighthearted laughs. That was supposed to be the email I was going to send today.

But after what I saw yesterday, that plan changed.

Yesterday was the sentencing for the man who killed the four University of Idaho students back in 2022.

The perpetrator had initially stood silent to the charges, forcing the judge to enter a not guilty plea on his behalf.

But just as he was about to head to trial for charges that could result in the death penalty, he requested a plea deal—admitting guilt in order to avoid the probability of facing a firing squad.

The four students who lost their lives—Kaylee, Maddie, Xana, and Ethan—were senselessly and brutally slaughtered in their beds in the middle of the night, and their families were also victims, left in the wake of such horror and tragedy.

Before the killer was sentenced to life in prison, the families of the victims were allowed to give impact statements to the judge, and some of them used that opportunity to speak directly to the perpetrator.

Some who spoke were sobbing, tears streaming down their faces.

Others spoke authoritatively and angrily, facing down the perpetrator and using their words to mock him and cut him down, exacting the only vengeance they could.

But then.

Then came the family of Xana Kernodle.

Xana's mother, Cara Northington, gave the most profound and even shocking statement of them all. It seemed to catch everyone off guard.

She directed her statement to her daughter's killer, looking him in the eyes as she spoke these words about her daughter:

"Today I stand before you, the man who is responsible for murdering my beautiful daughter, Xana Kernodle.

My daughter was beautiful, both inside and out. She possessed love for those around her and had a light so bright, it will live on forever in our hearts.

She brought joy and laughter to her friends, her family, and anyone in her presence.

Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, now has her in His loving arms in heaven, where she can never be harmed ever again, for eternity.

Because of her, I came to know my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Because of her, many will come to Christ.

It is Christ who lives in me that has given me the strength to forgive you. It was of no power of my own. In return, the Lord has filled me with joy, hope, and peace that surpasses all understanding.

Jesus has allowed me to forgive you for murdering my daughter without you even being sorry or asking for this. This is only possible because He who lives in me is greater than any evil in this world.

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. I do not fear you or even let you rent space in my head anymore.

This forgiveness has released me from any and all evil you have inflicted on me and my family. It has allowed me to let our Lord deal with you.

You have accepted a deal that will prevent you from receiving the death penalty. Nothing man can do to you can ever compare to the wrath of God.

Inevitably, you will stand before our Lord and will have to answer to Him over the sins you have committed in murdering our children.

I pray you come to the end of yourself before that day. Whether you like it or not, heaven is for real, and so is hell.

The innocent life of Xana that you stole from myself and my family, and the destruction it has caused… I am washing my hands of you and am turning you over to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, whom vengeance belongs to.

In closing, I want to read a passage from the Bible, Ephesians 6, King James Version:

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day.”

I do pray for you. I pray that you come to the end of yourself. I pray that before this life is over, that you ask our Lord and Savior in your heart and to forgive you. I do pray for that."

Wow.

This dear woman had her daughter ripped away from her in the worst way imaginable, and yet she managed to show grace and forgiveness to her daughter's murderer, all in the wonderful name of Jesus Christ.

What an incredible witness!

She could have used her statement to expound upon her grief, to share memories of Xana, or to berate the guilty and tell him he deserved to go to hell.

But instead she made the most gracious choice, choosing to proclaim the name of Jesus Christ, give forgiveness in His name, and extend His offer of salvation to even the guiltiest of sinners.

Praise God!

Her statement moved me to tears, and when she spoke about hoping the killer would come to the end of himself and turn to Christ for forgiveness, I couldn't help but raise my hands to the Lord, tears in my eyes, praying in agreement.

But how can she forgive him?! Why should we pray for an evil person like him?!

It always makes me think of the phrase we find in 1 Corinthians 6, verse 11:

"And such were some of you."

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God. (NKJV)

But for the grace of God, each of us could've ended up down the same path.

No, the perpetrator doesn't deserve forgiveness or redemption. Neither do we. And yet God loves us so much that He offered His Son to make a way for our forgiveness and reunion with Him, even for the worst of sinners.

Even the apostle Paul called himself the chief of sinners:

This is a trustworthy saying, and everyone should accept it: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them all.

But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life.

1 Timothy 1:15-16, NLT

And so it is that God took this heinously evil act and used it to bring the gospel message to hundreds of thousands of people around the world—possibly millions—who will hear Xana's mother's words.

"Because of her, I came to know my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ."

"Because of her, many will come to Christ."

Amen, Lord, may it be!!

Will you pause for a moment and pray in agreement with this gracious, grieving mother's prayer for the murderer?

"I pray that before this life is over, that you ask our Lord and Savior in your heart and to forgive you."

Amen, Lord. Please do the work that only You can. Please open his eyes to see his sinfulness in light of Your holiness, that he would see his need for Your forgiveness and place his trust in Christ.

Thank you taking what was meant for evil and turning it for good by allowing scripture to be proclaimed for countless people to hear, for Your forgiveness to be lived out in front of the world in such a touching way, and for Your offer of salvation to be broadcast around the world.

Please bless these families, please make Yourself and Your love known to each one in a personal way, and please help the families in their loss. We pray that Your name and Your word would be proclaimed and heeded by many as a result of Cara's gracious obedience, and Xana's witness.

In Jesus' name we pray, amen.

May you be blessed this week, my friend, and as always, choose to live by grace.

💛 Liv

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