Charlie Kirk (1993-2025), the Conservative-Christian activist and influencer, was assassinated yesterday. Charlie Kirk was in the middle of one of his rallies at a college campus. He did these frequently, engaging with anyone who wanted to debate or ask a question. I only recently watched a bit of Charlie’s content. But I wanted to offer a few thoughts in light of this shocking news.
- Pray for the Kirk family. As a young father like Charlie (he was 31 years old, married for 4 years, with 2 very young kids), this hits hard. To think of his widow and two fatherless children is grieving. Daddy didn’t come home to give hugs that night. Condolences and prayers for the Kirk family.
- This is a symbol for how hateful the political atmosphere is in the States. No doubt this was politically-ideologically motivated murder against a defender of Conservative and Christian values. Charlie’s ideas sparked a lot of hatred from the progressive left. He was a bit of a provocateur and a controversialist, but actually seemed to remain remarkably calm and patient when dealing with unhinged opponents. Nevertheless, this event shows how rabid the political atmosphere is in America. If someone simply opens up public dialogue and speaks their mind, they can be the target of such violence. Such is the state of this world without God. Every human heart contains this hatred and violence. As Christians, we need to be careful not to get drawn into the spiteful, political rhetoric of the world. We need to see the image of God in everyone, no matter what their viewpoint, and treat them with respect as we boldly share the truth. As James says, “let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God” (James 1:19-20).
- We will still be hated, even if we share the truth in love. Charlie was hated partly for his Christian values. He was pro-life, pro-family, and often spoke of his faith, of Christ, and used the Bible in his arguments. People will hate us if we speak the truth. We need to be willing to speak the biblical truth boldly, no matter the cost. This requires a courage that comes from knowing Christ and his Word deeply and personally. Charlie said in one interview that he studied the Bible intimately every day and put on the full armor of God. May we follow in that pattern.
- This hateful, idolatrous world needs to turn to Christ. I’ve been reading Isaiah 40-55 this week, a grand section of Scripture, where God continually holds out his incomparable glory and saving power to the whole world, which is lost and blind, following vain idols. God repeatedly tells the world that He alone is Yahweh, the only God, and the only Savior. It is interspersed with the Servant Songs, which are prophecies of the suffering, saving work of Jesus Christ. We all need rescue from our malice and idols, and the only answer is the forgiveness God worked through the death of the Suffering Servant. Jesus cries out to the whole world today: “Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other” (Isa 45:22).
Pastor Rory