24. Lessons to Learn From Charlie
During my time at Homestead High School, one of my favorite classes I took which was not within communication was AP US History. It was not a knock-off class or one which presented an opportunity to unwind for 45 minutes, but it always presented the chance to learn about significant events, leaders, and periods within the dynamic story of our great country. I remember doing a group project on the Watergate scandal and tying in clips from Forrest Gump into the presentation, putting notecards in sequential order to Billy Joel’s “We Didn’t Start the Fire,” and finding other unique ways to relate common culture to the curriculum to have a better chance at passing the AP exam at the end of the year. It was extremely engaging and challenging for the 16 year old version of me. But a common theme existed for me throughout the course- it could’ve come through studying the stock market crash of 1929, the Pearl Harbor attacks, or even the political unrest of the 1960’s, but my brain always came back to a central thought…
“I wonder what it’s like to live through an event which future events will read about in their history textbooks.”
Sure, Trump got elected in 2016 and small events happened for the next three years, but those times seem like footnotes at the bottom of the page compared to what the last five years have looked like. I remember having my only panic attack in Scottsdale, AZ the day COVID shut down the country in 2020, and since then it feels as if the last five years have been littered with significant events. We’ve lived through a worldwide pandemic, widespread political unrest from 2020 into the beginning of 2021, American servicemen being killed in Afghanistan, wars in Ukraine and Israel, and even two assassination attempts on a former president. I stay connected and I have opinions on all of these matters, and I’ve had happy and maddening moments from following the events of our country recently. But last Wednesday felt like the climax of all of the historical events we witnessed over the last half decade, and it sparked a new emotion in me which I had not felt throughout my life caring for the well-being of our world…
Fear.
I was a fan of Charlie Kirk. I wouldn’t say I was a fanatic from the angle of reposting his viral clips or making it a priority to watch all of his debate sessions with college students on their campuses, but I knew of his influence on our country better than most. He was unafraid to ruffle feathers and to say unpleasant truths to people when confronted with harsh rhetoric, but he always spoke from a worldview I could relate to in the best possible fashion- being a man of God speaking up for traditional values. You can leave politics at the front door, he spoke from an angle of loving others and the United States as anyone who is deeply founded within their walk with the Lord would. It’s not to say that all followers of Christ would agree with everything he would say about our world or the Word in lockstep, but it is to say that Charlie’s goal in life was to spread the good news to everyone around him in a manner which was loving and effective- using civil debate and often winning arguments founded in logic and compassion. I was driving through western Iowa on my way to the Nebraska Open last week when I heard the news, and I stayed glued to my phone for the last three hours of the drive until I learned of his passing. Yesterday was the first day in the last five where his death has not been at the front of my brain. My emotions sparked as rage when I heard of someone shooting at his event, to despair and grief when considering who Charlie was leaving behind in his immediate family, not to mention his supporters. The next two days brought about significant anger when his assassin roamed free in the state of Utah, as I prayed for justice to be served on behalf of God, the Kirk family, and our country. I know I am not alone in this evolution of emotions since September 10.
Do not get me wrong- this was a political assassination, but Charlie Kirk was not killed because of his conservative politics. Charlie Kirk was killed for his faith in Christ and his ability to articulate his life unto others. This is why I have fear. It’s not exclusively for where our society is heading, but because there are people in our society who are willing to kill people of my worldview for the perceived crime of speaking to others about our beliefs.
For the first time in my life, I witnessed someone being gunned down in American public for their willingness to speak truths from God to the masses. Charlie’s faith in God did not come as a by-product of his conservatism, his conservatism came as a result of his Faith. For preaching the factual opinions of “men need women and women need men,” “men should strive to get married and have a family,” and “life is sacred at all stages of creation,” Charlie was assassinated by a sexually-depraved, radical secularist who hated God and his people for everyone around the world to see. He wasn’t shot because of his opinions on tax policy, immigration, or an endorsement for the local mayoral race, it was for his cornerstone beliefs as a Christian living in America. Whether or not you’re a Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative, Christian, Jew, Muslim, or atheist, this fact should scare you. Christians in America have never been under attack more than they are at this current moment. The source of my fear is that at some point someone I love or myself will have to face a similar type of persecution for their beliefs in our secular society, even if it’s not to the mercies of a speeding bullet. This event was not just indicative of the hatred of one radicalized individual, it showed the hearts of so many people in our society and how far we’ve strayed from God.
We live in a fallen world. Nobody is without fault. I sin everyday, so do you. Things like this will not cease to happen until Christ makes his triumphant return. Until that day comes, we have to find ways to live in a world where people who hate God, not to mention you and me for believing in him. This has been the hardest part for me over the past five days. It’s not about thinking who will fill Charlie’s shoes in our world, it’s not about thinking about who will “pick up the blood-stained microphone,” it’s about thinking how to respond to a world that is fighting against God and his perfect and loving message everyday. Ironically enough, so many of these questions were answered by Charlie.
In reality, there is little I can do in this world to make an earth-shattering impact on millions of lives and to turn all of society to the Lord. The broader salvation of society at this moment in time is pulled more by those in power within media, assorted levels of government, and the voices of the church. I hope that at some point He can grant me a greater ability to speak to those who need to hear His word, but at this my focus should be the same as yours…
Through the last five days I’ve seen countless videos stating their opinions on Charlie’s death. Many are wholesome and relevant, some are abhorrent and disgusting. I’ve gotten past the point of needing to hear others’ opinions on such a tragedy, but I’m now to the point where I want to hear Godly opinions of how Charlie wished to live along with Charlie speaking on how to improve yourself. From all of the best videos I’ve seen from Charlie in the past few days, one sticks out to me in particular. While speaking at a Turning Point USA event in the past year, Charlie spoke on how young people should focus their character on a daily basis-
“Focus on what it means to be a good person and a person of strong character. Aristotle said that courage is the ultimate virtue and without it there are no other virtues. If people aren’t courageous you don’t have honesty. You don’t have justice. You don’t have beauty you don’t have wonder.”
When Charlie was on a podcast a couple months ago, he was asked a simple question…
“How do you want to be remembered?”
“If I die?” Charlie responded incredulously.
“Everything just goes away. Like if you could be associated with one thing, how would you want to be remembered?”
“I want to be remembered for courage for my faith. That would be most important.”
To hear these words from someone who was martyred for his faith in Christ seems to be prophetic.
Reading through scripture today brought me to 2 Timothy, a letter written from Paul while imprisoned to Timothy which is believed to be his final letter before his death.
“So do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, or ashamed of me his prisoner. But join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God, who has saved us and called us to a holy life- not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and brought life and immortality through the gospel. And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day.” -2 Timothy 1:8-12
Paul continues in chapter 3, speaking to Timothy-
"You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, persecutions, suffering— what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evil men and imposters will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, and how from infancy you have known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.” -2 Timothy 3:10-16.
I know with near certainty that Charlie would have read these passages of scripture and would have used them to build his courageousness. I am sure that Charlie understood that people like him who were outspoken in their faith in our world would face constant high danger of religious persecution. This did not stop him in his journey to speak God’s word to thousands, if not millions, of people in our country. Fear is not irrational for people in our society. God can call us home at any point, even when we perceive it to be too soon. But having this fear drive our ability to live for Him each and every day is a disservice to Christ. Charlie knew this. People who wish to continue is his footsteps understand this today. It is the concept I have had to come to grips with the most over the past five days. Just because we live in a world where some people want us dead for our beliefs does not mean we should cower in fear and be tentative in speaking the truth, it means that now more than ever, we have to be bold in living for Christ and speaking with others about His word, will, and vision for our lives.
Charlie lived an imperfect life (as we all do), but God uses imperfect people to grow his kingdom in ways we cannot begin to understand. He built a grassroots organization from ground up which preached the ideas of American exceptionalism and religious freedom, got married and had a beautiful family, and left behind a legacy of courage which would be hard to match from anyone in recent history. I continue to mourn his loss because he died while spreading Christian ideals to people around our country in an admirable fashion and left behind great things. But Charlie died as a hero for Christianity in our world, courageous in his beliefs and engaging people of all backgrounds and walks in compassionate, good faith discussion. While our world is changing around us and the political landscape is evolving, God still wants to use you to grow his kingdom and to make disciples of all nations. Charlie used his gifts to build tribes in a courageous fashion, and you have your own unique abilities to do the same thing.
We are, in fact, living in a tough time where spiritual warfare is a real thing. People are celebrating the unjust murder of a person of God in our society, people will continue to use inflammatory rhetoric to stoke the fire of radical secularism, some will even look at this assassin as a hero whose mission should be continued by people in our world today. Woe be unto all of them, for all of us will have to face judgement. It is up to me and up to you to stay courageous in our walk with Christ while recognizing the challenges of today. While there may seem to be few solutions for fixing the problems of our world, one action continues to come to mind to me… pray.
Pray for our country, our leaders, our media, our churches. Pray for those who hate God so they may come to see the blinding light. Pray for those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Pray for Erika Kirk and her children, pray for their family and friends.
Thank you Charlie for not just believing in Christ and his perfect plan, but for using and sharpening your talents to bring a voice to those in our society who needed a positive influence. Your story on earth may have been cut short, but your legacy will continue to impact countless lives in this generation and the next for the kingdom of heaven. Your life was well-lived, and now is a story we should all celebrate and hope to reflect in our own individual journeys. I continue to pray that God is caring for you now and that heaven is as beautiful and grand as you imagined it to be.