Hi Pastor.
Last Saturday, during the Zoom session you recorded, you mentioned that we could discuss Charlie Kirk’s impact on our lives after this Saturday's Zoom session. I am too chicken to have that recording on YouTube. And I don’t know how to be concise about this. So I wanted to share with you my thoughts on Charlie Kirk and his impact on my life.
I also wouldn’t be able to say all of this in person. A lot of times, I don’t know what my thoughts are about something until I start writing them down. Anyway, I apologize in advance for this being lengthy and somewhat disorganized.
I had heard about Charlie Kirk and had seen clips of his debate videos. After his death, my social media feeds were flooded with numerous videos of him. When I found out about his assassination, my heart sank. I never met him, and I can’t really explain the heaviness in my heart. There is a bond between Christians that’s different from other relationships.
It was after his death that I actually began to see videos of his full debates. By going to schools to debate, he willingly put himself in situations where most of us would feel uncomfortable discussing disagreements. During debates, sometimes others would misinterpret his intentions, but he would patiently explain his point of view. His form of debate was an art, and he was very skilful. Although it’s bittersweet watching his videos, I'm always on the edge of my seat waiting to see how he responds.
And how others will respond to him.
I have learned more about him because of his death. The more I learn, the more impressed I am by him and how he used the gifts that God gave him for God's glory.
I think it’s fantastic that he lived during this time, when our technology allowed many of his talks and debates to be recorded. It’s all out there for everyone to see. And seeing people twist what he says and portray him as hateful, and then looking up an actual whole debate of his on that subject, it’s obvious to see that he wasn’t vicious at all. Hard truths, boldness, and disagreements, but there was kindness and never hate. I even saw in one of his videos that he mentioned he might sometimes say too much or express himself differently, but he would rather do that than not say anything at all. It seemed a humble thing because he was aware that maybe his approach to some cases might not have been the best one. He was human, just like the rest of us, making mistakes along the way and still prone to sin.
I’ve enjoyed listening to his pastor mentor, Frank Terik, speak about him and their relationship. How hungry Charlie was to have a biblical answer to the questions people would ask him. And his genuine concern for young people, his appreciation for marriage and family as a blessing, and his desire for everyone to experience it.
It saddens me to see so many people reacting in a hateful way toward Charlie. Many people are being deceived. A couple of my liberal cousins stopped looking at my stories after I started posting about Charlie. And more videos about him sharing the gospel. And some people defriended me.
Charlie shone brightly, and he changed people's lives, continuing to do so. He has influenced people to change their political views, and most importantly, he has influenced some to turn to Christ. I like hearing those stories of conviction and freedom from sin. Where light shines brightly, the dark is exposed. And there is a lot of evil surfacing. Intolerance for differing points of view and people being more violent if others don’t agree with their beliefs. There is a lot of good that’s coming out after his death, but it’s also sad to see a great divide.
Charlie encouraged others to be courageous. And for me I’ve been thinking about that in my life. it’s been a challenge figuring out how I can do that. I feel like I avoid politics with others because I’m not good at debating, but I also don’t like feeling uncomfortable with disagreements. It is easier to talk to someone about spiritual things when they are open to hearing them. However, I don’t know how to lead conversations to a spiritual point that will direct others to Christ, regardless of the person's background. I have been quiet a lot and I would like to learn to have more of those conversations with others. I need to get out of my comfort zone because if I don’t, then what am I doing? I’m not living for Christ. So I feel convicted, and I want to point others to Christ more, but I don’t really know where to go from here.
I am a fearful person by nature, but in one way, Charlie’s courage has affected me, and I don’t remember exactly what he said; one of the things he might have mentioned was to do the next right thing. But that’s what I have been working on. I intentionally strive to be kinder to others in my daily life. He was that way with strangers at a deeper level in conversation. In my life right now, I'm taking baby steps by trying to be kinder in the small things, especially with my parents. I think that if I make kindness a habit in the small things where I would be timid or would rather hide, it will be the right step toward kindness in more meaningful and challenging conversations. Additionally, something else that has stood out to me about Charlie's approach is that he would try to find common ground with others during disagreements. I believe that common ground with others can be found in various areas of life, beyond politics. And that would include finding empathy with others and voicing care. These Things might seem pretty basic to others, but for me, it feels like a big step when I’m only talkative with those I am comfortable with and would rather hide from people I don’t know.
I also can’t explain what impact it had on me seeing Charlie get shot and bleed out. But the fact that everyone had the chance to see a violent, horrible death on video. It’s crazy, and thinking about it makes me sick to my stomach. I honestly think seeing his assassination would have impacted me more if I had not seen just a week or a few weeks before the young lady who was stabbed multiple times to death on the train. I had never seen such graphic death of a real person before, and that just like killed something inside of me. I don’t know how to put it into words.
It also saddens me that he died so young with such great potential. The more I’ve seen of him, the more I like him and the more I think he could have been president.
With his death playing a role in people becoming Christians, more people having conservative views remind us of the Bible, where in periods of time, nations turned away from God, and then people would repent and turn back to God. It is kind of exciting being there now, seeing many people repent and come to Christ, or at least have a desire to change, to be better, to read the bible, to go to church. I feel cautious about people calling it a revival, though. Additionally, it’s unfortunate that modern Christian music sometimes obscures the gospel. It was fantastic hearing so many political figures share the gospel during Charlie’s memorial service, but I wish they hadn’t included all the modern worship music. I hope that some of the things happening aren’t pagan frenzy.
In some ways, his death seems to be having an exponential impact and might be more significant than he would have been if he had lived longer. His voice got louder, and more people are listening and turning.
The fact that there is so much distraction away from Charlie speaking the truth and against sin, and turning to Christ, makes me think that something big is happening. There is a distraction by deception, as people twist what Charlie says. Distraction in all of the focus on who really killed Charlie, that he was turning toward Catholicism, some saying he was a Mason, and he was a sacrifice, and the conspiracy theories, and political divisions. Maybe more people are open to hearing about the gospel now, and Satan knows it, so there is a distraction everywhere.
I am excited, though, to live during this time and see how things play out.
