A Million Voices...

On Wednesday, most of us were left in heartbreak and outrage over the brutal and cowardly murder of Charlie Kirk, a believer who took on the challenge to boldly proclaim the Gospel and a Biblical worldview in highly public and often hostile environments. Without apology, He shared what it meant to follow God's Word and how to find salvation through the acceptance of Christ. He set an example of a strong, Godly man, with a focus on Christ and the family unit that God so intentionally created for our benefit, which much of our culture has dismissed.

Many of the responses I have seen from other believers on social media are centered around how horrific his death was, and saying it is a call to action, or even calling for retribution. I agree this is a call to action, but not in the way that many would define it. I believe the true call to action here is to look inwardly and ask, "What am I doing for the Kingdom?" "Why am I not following Charlie's lead?"

Are we using each day to further His Kingdom, or are we merely drifting from day to day, being caught up in the current of endless distractions—video games, TV, social media—spending hours scrolling when we should be using our time to reach others, witnessing to the lost and broken?

While considering this question, it became apparent to me that there is something far more outrageous than the silencing of his voice. We should be outraged at the voluntary silence we as believers often choose. Where is our boldness? Why are we not speaking about the sacrifice Christ made for us every moment of every day with every person we encounter? We should be seeking every opportunity, every platform to share God's Word fearlessly. Would we be willing to sit in the chair that Charlie sat in? Are we willing to die for sharing the truth with others? We should be.

I am not saying we should have a death wish, but the fear of leaving this earth should never stand in the way of engaging others in a meaningful way that shares the hope and truth that we know. Matthew 28:19-20 tells us, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.

If we are not serious about fulfilling that call, can we even say we love Christ with our entire heart? Jesus suffered and died on the cross, giving up His life for us, yet we make a conscious decision in many situations to hide in the shadows, unwilling to even give up our comforts for Him. We should be ashamed.

In Philippians 2:3-4, we are instructed to "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others." If this is how we are taught to value the interests of one another, how much more should we be putting Christ above our own desires?

I am not suggesting that we go on a crusade to argue with everyone we meet. Instead, we should be leading others to Christ in love and humility, through testimony or what He has done in our lives. Our hearts should grieve for every lost soul that has believed the lies and been misled, who is desperately needing God in their lives, yet actively rejecting Him.

We are in the midst of a war. Ephesians 6:12 says, "For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places." If you are someone who doesn't give much attention to the constant spiritual warfare that is happening around us, it's time to start not only paying attention, but also praying. We are being called to the frontlines.

It's great if you read your Bible every day. It's great if you spend time in prayer every day. It's even great if you regularly give to those who are less fortunate. Those are all Godly things. But who is less fortunate than the person who doesn't have a personal relationship with Christ and is headed for an eternal life of suffering? In addition to fulfilling their physical needs, why are we not as passionate about teaching them how the sacrifice of Christ can fulfill their spiritual needs?

Maybe you're sitting there saying, "I don't want to upset anyone or be confrontational". Loving someone is being willing to share the truth for their betterment, even when it is uncomfortable. I Peter 3:15 - But in your hearts honor Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect. We are called to be courageous, but humble, honoring the instruction of gentleness and respect.

I think our society often views gentleness and strength as being opposed to one another, but that simply isn't true. We can boldly speak to others while remaining loving and respectful.

Maybe you just feel your efforts are futile. You're thinking, "What's the point? They won't listen anyways." The point is that we know how this ends. We know that those who have not accepted Christ are doomed to be separated from Him forever. It is our job to warn them. Ezekiel 3:17-19 - 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel. Whenever you hear a word from my mouth, you shall give them warning from me. 18 If I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, in order to save his life, that wicked person shall die for his iniquity, but his blood I will require at your hand. 19 But if you warn the wicked, and he does not turn from his wickedness, or from his wicked way, he shall die for his iniquity, but you will have delivered your soul. It's not about what they do with the warning. That is between the individual and God. But whether we follow the command to warn them is between us and God.

Or maybe you're someone who feels inadequate to talk with others. You might be saying, "I wouldn't know what to say", or "Talking isn't my strong suit". You're in good company! In Exodus 4:10-12 - 10 But Moses said to the Lord, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” 11 Then the Lord said to him, “Who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? 12 Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak.”

Many people avoid witnessing to others because they themselves have done horrible things in the past and feel that they are not quote unquote Godly enough to lead others to Christ. Consider Paul, Moses, and David to name just a few. God brought murderers and rapists to repentance and raised them up as leaders. If that is you, you may be the very person that is able to share your testimony with those who would never step foot in a church.

There are many reasons that people choose not to follow the Word and witness to others. Our excuses are just that. They are easily disputed and often born out of insecurity or fear. Regardless of why we use them, the end result is the same—we are not following God's call. We often think of sinning as things we do that go against God, but the reality is that not doing what God has told us is also sin. For example: James 4:17 - So whoever knows the right thing to do and fails to do it, for him it is sin.

Charlie's non-profit was called Turning Point USA. I believe this was prophetic. I believe his death is a wake-up call to believers, and that the one voice the enemy attempted to silence will multiply into millions of voices rising up, sharing the sacrifice Jesus made, His love for us, and His call to walk a righteous life.

One final thought. While the urge to condemn the person responsible for the horrible event that took place, I would remind you that 1 Peter 3:9 instructs us not to retaliate. In fact, we are even told to repay evil with blessing. This is the opposite of what society would respond with, but most things commanded by God are at this point.

If this message resonated with you, I ask that you join me in this prayer.

Father, search me. Expose the areas in my heart and my life that are in direct conflict with Your heart and Your call to witness to others. Increase courage, love, and humility among the church so we can effectively step out in boldness and humility and proclaim the truth of the Gospel to everyone we interact with. May you raise up your army of believers to amplify the voice that we lost, turning the enemy's attempts to silence the truth into millions of voices proclaiming Your Word and the Gospel of Christ. Amen. I started getting the words for this song while I was making breakfast the day after Charlie died. Let this be our anthem: https://youtu.be/NCu1PDfcUJY - we must unite as ONE body in prayer and the fulfillment of the great commission.