Every day, successful young people die, and their deaths go unnoticed. The question is, why would the untimely death of an outspoken, extroverted, 31-year-old man evoke such deep sorrow among both the world’s most prestigious and the world’s most ordinary?
Charlie Kirk was brilliant, jovial, focused, ambitious, disciplined, strong, loving, and determined. It’s hard to capture the phenomenon he was fully. If you met Charlie on the street, you probably wouldn’t give him a second glance; his appearance was unremarkable and ordinary. Charlie was tall and lanky, often pairing sneakers with suits and sporting a big, toothy smile along with his trademark hair. If you watched closely when he spoke, you’d notice a slight tic where he wrinkled his nose and quickly blinked one eye while forming a response to an irrational opinion.
Simultaneously thinking while articulating were Charlie Kirk’s strongest skills. Charlie absorbed everything and could logically draw from a complex knowledge base, including religion, history, philosophy, and politics, and apply every scintilla of what he gleaned to any argument presented. And he did it all in defense of the kind of nation he believed America should be.
Charlie was so convinced of his beliefs that he singlehandedly transformed a garage-based conservative youth group into one of the most influential political youth organizations in history. In ten short years, Charlie became a kingmaker.
Was it just his entrepreneurial success, or was there something else about Charlie Kirk that made his passing evoke a corporate groan greater than the one usually felt when a president or king is assassinated? The world Charlie Kirk was trying to heal, unfortunately, is a world lacking people like him. So, the answer to that question may say more about who we are than about who Charlie was.
Charlie should be the norm, but he isn't. Human and fallen like the rest of us, Charlie Kirk was, in fact, the best public example of a devout Christian, husband, father, and patriot the nation has seen since its founding. Walking in obedience, Charlie embodied all that God called him to be, and because of that, he became the exception, not the rule. That’s why, when we lost him, the whole world snapped to attention.
In the wake of his passing, as a society, perhaps all of us need to reevaluate why Charlie Kirk seemed so special, because he shouldn’t have been special. Charlie, who he was and what he stood for, should be the norm.
Let’s admit it, men like Charlie are dangerous; that’s why he was executed by a sinister force that persuades young men to question their gender and has succeeded in demonizing masculinity while encouraging confused eunuchs to engage sexually with “furry” beings that look like interspecies chimeras.
At such a young age, Charlie Kirk stood out from the typical American man who has accepted the weight of guilt placed on him by a secular society. For decades, American culture has demonized God-ordained roles for men. Our culture discourages the male gender from being recognized as defenders of faith, leaders, husbands, present fathers, and patriots who prioritize both God and country. Then, culture goes on to blame them for societal failures that follow. Charlie proudly embodied all these traditional male roles because he was genuinely different.
America needs more Charlies. Charlie was a man who rushed out to defend his faith. He loved his wife, cherished his children, and kept his eye firmly fixed on the prize, which is Christ. Standing firm in the face of religious, political, and cultural opposition, Charlie was like a grinning gladiator facing down a den of lions. And with his life, he was trying to lead misguided youth bravely into the arena with him.
Firmly denouncing promiscuity, Charlie championed self-discipline. Using facts, logic, and reason, Charlie exposed the false realities on the political Left and worked tirelessly to promote truth because he sincerely believed that it was his divine calling. Charlie would not hesitate to face the enemy, debate foes, and boldly proclaim Jesus with joy and confidence.
After losing Charlie, hopefully, rather than forget him, we will remember that he was one man who embodied everything God created us to be. Charlie’s passing was connected to tragedy and loss, that’s true. It shocked us all, and the whole world turned its focus toward Utah and mourned. Why? Because, as Americans, we loved what Charlie represented, but also because it made us reflect on the seriousness of losing a man who served as a role model for all of us today. Charlie’s death in such a brutal and significant way demanded our attention, and in doing so, it revealed truths about ourselves that we all needed to see.
Charlie’s touching memorial has ended, and soon, the world will gradually return to normal; tears will dry, and everyday life will resume. In his memory, the best thing we can all do is to emulate Charlie. Let’s honor him most excellently by recognizing where and how we all fall short in living out, regardless of the number of days, the best and most fulfilling life that God has planned for us.
In the coming days and years, Charlie Kirk should continue to serve as a mirror held up to the face of every person, a testament to the inherent nature within us to choose whether to thrive with courage or to fail. And may the person he was and the fearlessness he embodied help us access that goodness and value within ourselves whenever and wherever we fall short. Having left us too soon, as we mourn a world without such an extraordinary person in it, let’s also look forward to a better future filled with men and women whose lives Charlie Kirk touched by inspiring us to realize all that we can be.
Jeannie hosts a blog at www.jeannieology.us
Image: Gage Skidmore