Yesterday’s assassination of Charlie Kirk, a prominent conservative giant and founder of Turning Point USA, has us all reeling. When a bullet took his life on the Utah Valley University campus in Orem, Utah, many of us felt instant feelings of anger mixed with deep sorrow. A devoted husband and 31-year-old father of two children was taken from this world, leaving his family to pick up the pieces. 

In moments like this we feel a passion in our gut that feels red-hot, and what we do next is crucial – not just for our communities at-large, but for our own character development as followers of Christ. 

Reaction vs. Resolve

If the righteous anger we are feeling is burning within, it’s important that we act as a piece of quality steel that has been heated rather than a firecracker or an explosive. What I mean by this is: although I can understand those who want to take drastic action now, expressing a version of “I’m done with (fill-in-the-blank)” or “it’s time to (insert-dramatic-action),” many of these types of responses are driven by unchecked anger. Anger can drive us to action, but should never determine our actions. 

We regularly say that as Christians we must have hearts of compassion and backbones of steel. 

I challenge you to view the grief and righteous anger as the heating of a piece of quality steel. Raw metal bends under pressure. Metal that has not been heat-treated loses its form under heavy stress. Tempered steel holds firm. When red-hot, the metal is vulnerable to manipulations and we must not let malice or unruly anger take root in this temporary period. Instead, we must know that moments later, red-hot steel becomes hardened steel. Let this season harden your spine, stiffen your resolve, and deepen your commitment to speaking the truth. If you were on the fence, jump into the arena.

Keep Speaking the Truth

Charlie’ own words offer some of the best advice for moving forward. Charlie had the following conversation with a lady on the street. You can read it below or watch it here.

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Charlie Kirk: I go around to universities and have hard conversations.

Lady on the street: “Buy why?”

Charlie Kirk: Because that’s what’s so important to our country – is to find our disagreements, respectfully, because when people stop talking that’s when violence happens. 

Lady on the street: “I’ve never seen someone do this”

Charlie Kirk: Well it’s a growing trend because people like me are facing violence.

Lady on the street: “From who?”

Charlie Kirk: The left.

Lady on the street: “The left?”

Charlie Kirk: Yes. The campus antifa, I’ve been stormed out of restaurants, I’ve been assaulted publicly, multiple death threats.”

Lady on the street: “Okay, so what’s your goal in all of this?”

Charlie Kirk: There’s more people that agree with me than some people would actually believe and they come out of the woodwork when I do stuff like this. We record all of it so that we can put it on the internet so people can see these ideas collide. When people stop talking that’s when you get violence. That’s when civil war happens – because you start to think the other side is so evil and they lose their humanity.

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A Role Model to be Emulated

Charlie set an example for us in 2 key ways:

1.     He was an expert communicator who spent countless hours studying, practicing, researching, & honing his ability to present ideas. He became one of the most effective communicators of not just the gospel, but how Biblical truth could impact our world and lead to genuine human flourishing. No matter the stage, no matter the audience, no matter the topic, Charlie was ready. He was a good example of what “always having an answer for the hope that lies within you” (1 Peter 3:15) can look like.

2.     He became a great example of what happens when you follow Christ. Those who followed his career closely can all explain the “journey” that Charlie went on in his faith. We watched Christianity move from “something he could defend in a speech” to “something that continually shaped his heart.” We saw a man who in his early 20’s was a bit rough around the edges and who prioritized politics over religion become a man of deep faith and conviction that realized the gospel and our faith in Christ are paramount. It’s not hard to find examples of odd or harsh things he said at some points in his life – it’s also undeniable that his relationship with Christ continued to shape him and refined his heart and actions. 

Moving Forward

As we move forward from this tragedy, we must keep contending for truth.

We must continue the open dialogue.

We must continue competing for the hearts of our fellow Americans.

We must openly proclaim the gospel. 

He was murdered with a microphone in his hands – will you pick it up?