Good And Faithful Servant - A Tribute To An American Hero

The assassination of Charlie Kirk was a turning point in our country. His death not only broke the hearts of many across the world but created a line of division among those that grieved his loss and those that celebrated the unthinkable. In this episode, we celebrate the life and legacy of Charlie while speaking out against the evil which took his life. We do not seek to cause division but instead unity through love and peace. This is a story that shows how God can use one man in extraordinary ways if they live a life fully devoted to Him.

Transcript

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Hello, my friends. How are you doing today? My name is Jay, and I'd like to welcome you to the Redeeming Evil podcast, where we not only confront evil, but find a way to redeem it, to shine the light of God's word and expose the garbage not only in our world, but also in our own hearts. So thank you, thank you so very much for taking the time to listen to this message. And I do pray that everything is exceedingly well with your soul on this very, very beautiful day that we have been so blessed to have been given by God Himself. So just a quick note before we do begin this episode does discuss the assassination of Charlie Kirk. While we do mention the circumstances of his death, we do not focus on the identity of the suspect. However, we do uphold the standard that all individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Now, so you do know, this episode is actually something that I have been thinking about doing for quite some time now. And honestly, I've really just kind of went back and forth with how I did want to present it to all of you amazing folks out there because it truly is that important to me. So to say I'm grateful that we have platforms like these is an absolute understatement to say the least, because I feel that words and expressions of the human heart are one of the most impeccable forms of art that we have been given by the Creator of the universe himself. And never ever do I want to waste a single moment to not pour out my heart and to pour out my soul when something just simply means everything to me, just like the focus of this episode does today. Now, first and foremost, before I do go into anything else, I just want to take a moment here to thank God. Not only because He's so divine and so majestically beautiful and sovereign, not just because he's the King of Glory and the Author and Finisher of my faith, but also for creating certain souls, such very special and unique people, and raising those creations up to make such an impact, not just in the world itself, but especially in the lives of those around them. And I'm really going to try and not get emotional through the presentation of this, because the person at the heart of my work today is someone who I not only consider one of the greatest American heroes of my time, and even in history, to be completely honest here, but someone I consider to be my own personal hero, a man who I admire and respect more than my words today will ever begin to convey. You see, to me, the amazing thing about heroes is that they can mean so many different things to so many different people. What makes a hero for one person may not fit the qualifications of what another considers their own. And that's quite exquisite to me because so many people do things in this world that some might take for granted when other people don't hesitate whatsoever to give that person the kind of honor and the gratitude that they so rightfully deserve. Regardless of those factors, however, we have so many heroes among us and they deserve to be honored. They absolutely deserve to be spoken about. Whether it's a loved one who gave everything or gives absolutely everything to provide for the needs of your family, a brave soldier of unwavering loyalty who answers the call of duty to serve a country and the people of that country that they so dearly believe is worth risking absolutely everything for. An athlete that performs such amazing talent in the game that you love can just simply do things that no other person has done better, in your own opinion. People like Patrick Mahomes, Michael Jordan, Steph Curry, Tom Brady, Josh Allen, Christian McCaffrey, or maybe your hero is a law enforcement officer or a firefighter, someone who runs towards the danger instead of from it, counting their own lives secondary when putting the needs of others above their own. Or could it be someone who speaks the truth so bluntly and so courageously, even when it's not popular? A person with such convictions and a love for God in this country, a person who knows the words they speak might just take them to an early exit from this world as we know it, could actually end their own life. And sadly, with a heavy heart that still lingers after seven months has passed, this was the fate that my hero happened upon on the very fateful day of September 10th, 2025. Now, usually during a person's lifetime, they will mourn a tragedy or multiple tragedies that are absolutely far too great for words. For the generation in which my grandparents grew up, one might reflect on the heartbreak of Pearl Harbor, when Japanese fighters carried out a horrific surprise aerial attack on December 7th, 1941, killing over 2,400 members of our brave United States Service members and sadly also innocent civilians. Then fast forward to November 22nd, 1963, when a beloved American president named John Fitzgerald Kennedy, known for his famous quote, ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country, was publicly executed during a presidential motorcade, his assassination sending shockwaves through those that lived to see and hear of it and to those that dearly loved him. April 4th, 1968, an American civil rights activist named Martin Luther King Jr., who had a dream where people would not be judged by the color of their skin, but instead by the content of their character, became victim of yet another assassination, sending grief and anger to many, a loss that would devastate the country and many across the world. And then the first notable tragedy that marked my lifetime, September 11, 2001, when 19 Islamic terrorists would hijack four United States aircrafts and unleash the most terrifying day on American soil. Using those planes as weapons against us, hitting both towers of the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, and the fourth going down in Pennsylvania, the heroic acts of the passengers, the only buffer between that weapon and the White House or Capitol that they sought to take out, almost 3,000 Americans would die that day, along with so many others who have suffered longtime health trauma after being exposed to the debris and smoke of that horrific day. September 11, 2012, exactly 11 years after 9-11, 2001, four brave Americans, U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens, former Navy SEALs Tyrone Woods and Glenn Doherty, and information officer Sean Smith, would senselessly be murdered by an Islamic militant group in Benghazi, changing the lives of four families forever. November 13th, 2022, four University of Idaho students who would steal the hearts of the world were killed in a senseless act of violence, one of the most unimaginable crimes to ever take place in this country, a crime that would shock senses to the core and anger those that thirsted deeply for justice. Evil on full display is what this crime was all about. You see, there's just some tragedies that occur in our lives that bring so much anger, so much sorrow, so much unimaginable pain and disbelief that they change our lives forever, change the very foundation of the country in which we live. For though we heal and get past such traumatizing events, nothing will ever remove the scars and the emotional fingerprints that each of these victims embed in the beauty of a caring and empathetic soul. And though, with all my heart, I wish that the gut-wrenching tragedy in Idaho was the last act of wickedness that ripped my heart to shreds during the course of my lifetime so far. I sadly can't say that, though I wish with all my heart I could. Because on that day last year on September 10th, 2025, the day before our nation comes together to weep and remember all the lives lost 24 years ago on that horrific day of September 11, 2001, a deep and painful wound would be inflicted upon our country once again by an act of pure evil. For it was on that day that Charlie Kirk, a true patriot and child of the Most High God, would come to meet a brutal and senseless fate on the green grass of Utah Valley University. To say Charlie was an ordinary man does him no justice, for even though he was flesh and blood just like us all, this man was truly something special, something absolutely extraordinary. This was a man who I am convinced God created uniquely and specially to be a gift to this world and to be a light to us all, especially during such a dark time in our world's history, for never have I heard a man speak truth with so much boldness and do it so selflessly in this day of age. Charlie indeed was a treasure, a modern day voice of one crying out in the wilderness, speaking the kind of truth that not many people have the bravery to proclaim. He sought to point people to the one true God, using his spiritual and logical wisdom to enlighten and bring awareness to those that are lost, which he did so to his dying breath. You see, on that day of September 10th, 2025, Charlie left his home that day eager to do the thing that God had placed in his heart years before when he had launched Turning Point USA, the largest conservative youth organization in America. He went on his mission to try and save the youth of our country, this beautiful gift called America, because Charlie believed wholeheartedly in the freedom of speech granted to us in the First Amendment of our sacred United States Constitution. Charlie was such a talented and gifted debater and man of such conviction. He believed in the sanctity of human life, fighting ferociously for the unborn because he knew that every child had value and that even in the womb, they deserve every right given unto men. Charlie also fought for merit and hard work. He believed that everything a person gets in this lifetime should be based on the content of your character and for the labor one tirelessly puts in to pursue the American dream. No race on this planet was more supreme than another to Charlie, for he saw everyone as a human created in the image of God and never anything less. So many times his words were construed to mean the exact opposite of the message he was trying to deliver. Words of wisdom and love were counted as hate, while his beliefs were wrongfully mistaken for fascism. In reality, though, Charlie didn't hate anyone. For even those that counted him an enemy, he prayed for because he had too much love in his heart to do anything else. And it was the same love that brought him to the place where his life would so senselessly be taken. You see, on that day of September 10th, 2025, Charlie would pull up to Utah Valley University, and upon seeing how many people were in the crowd, seemed absolutely awestruck by the turnout of all the students and people who had come to this event. And I can only imagine his thoughts were centered around his biggest mission in that moment, the mission he sought for every single day of his life. For Charlie longed more than anything to make heaven crowded and to advocate for limited government because Charlie believed in freedom, true and unwavering freedom. And I can only guess it upon seeing so many souls that his heart was filled with hope that the more people that were there, the more lives he could help redeem, the more people he could reach. As Charlie would exit the vehicle that day and walk towards this crowd that meant so much to him, he would do what Charlie always did. He would gleefully and happily start throwing Make America Great Again hats to his audience, something he always looked like he was so happy and so enthusiastic to do. Cheers from supporters would erupt with enthusiasm, as those that hated him or disagreed with him would wait with anticipation to answer the call that Charlie always posed to them, to come to the mic and prove me wrong, was Charlie's famous motto. Something no one was ever able to accomplish, by the way, but he loved so much to hear other people's ideas and thoughts. He valued what each and every one of them had to say, even if he didn't agree with them, because no matter what they thought or believed, he truly did love each and every one of them. He really, really did, because he saw each and every one as a precious person created in the image of God. For Charlie was a warrior for free speech. He welcomed it, and he found it to be one of the greatest gifts afforded to us in this country, one that he fought for each and every day of his meaningful and very fruitful life. As Charlie would sit front and center that day, eager to engage in the art of debate, eager to do what God had placed in his heart, never do I think that Charlie would have even imagined that a man, a coward behind a rifle, would ascend up to a rooftop with premeditated evil in his heart, waiting to take his life, the life of this bold, courageous, and deeply loved spiritual giant. A son, a brother, a husband, a father, a brother in Christ to people all around the world, a mentor, a role model, a patriot, an evangelist, a missionary, a child of the most high God. As the lonesome shot rang out that very fateful and horrific day, Charlie's life would be taken from us in an instant. In the blink of an eye, he would leave this earth. This husband, this father, their superhero, would be stolen from their lives, leaving the kind of hole in their hearts that no person should ever have to bear. A senseless tragedy that never should have happened. If only the shooter, the assassin, would have just come to the mic instead. Charlie would have listened and he would have quieted down anyone that sought to drown out his voice, because he would have cared what this young man had to say. He would have listened and he would have shown him respect. He would have prayed for him. But even more importantly, Charlie would have lived. In the book of Proverbs, chapter six, verses seventeen and eighteen, it is written that the Lord detests the heart that devises wicked schemes, detests feet that are quick to rush to evil, detest the hands which shed innocent blood. The killer, he chose the path which leadeth to destruction, shed the blood of an innocent man. He killed an American hero, the one and only Charlie James Kirk. When news first spread that Charlie had been assassinated when the news had come to light, I did not even know who Charlie Kirk was, to be completely honest with you. But the beautiful thing about people like Charlie is that they don't need a whole lot of time to leave an imprint on your heart, to make such an incredible impact on your life. So much of an impact, in fact, that this person, whom I had never even known of, went from being a total stranger to me when he died to practically a member of my own family in just two days. Because instantly, I began to deliberately learn as much as I could about him, pouring over all of his debates, getting increasingly entrenched in the wisdom of this modern-day Solomon, becoming absolutely enlightened by what an amazing husband and father he was. But even more so, I learned about Charlie's unshakable faith, this courage that drove him to proclaim the good news and speak out against evil, even when it wasn't popular. I also learned about the dedication he had towards a president that I too wholeheartedly supported, President Donald J. Trump. And the fierce fight that Charlie underwent in helping win voters for the cause of a better America, and my gratitude knew no limits. For even though I had had the honor and the privilege of casting the very first vote of my life for someone who I felt would change the country and point it towards a better future, I was completely in the dark about this man, Charlie Kirk, who had played such a pivotal role in helping our president get re-elected. But I think the reality of what Charlie's murder was, what he ultimately died for, captivated my soul more than anything else that I had learned about him. Because Charlie not only died for exercising his right to free speech in this country, but he died for so much more. This man, this unique and special man, loved God, loved his word, lived to follow him, and he was murdered for it. Murdered for loving the Savior of the world. He died for the destiny that God had raised him up for. He died for believing in Christ. He died a martyr, and the sorrows of my heart knew no limits, knew no boundaries. In just two days after Charlie died, after two days of soaking in all of his wisdom and all of his courage, I wept for this man and I wept for his wife and children. I wept when his beautiful wife Erika made her first public address from the sacred room of the Charlie Kirk show. One of the top podcasts in our country, mind you, because let's face it, anything that Charlie touched turned to gold. He knew how to be successful and he knew how to do it with purpose. He truly was an inspiration to many. By Saturday of the week he died, Charlie died on a Wednesday. My husband and I were at the store, and I remember he had on his Oregon Ducks jersey because they were playing that day, and that's who he loves and supports in football, just like Charlie did from what we had learned from Erica's address to the nation. And I remember him telling me when we were at the store that he hadn't worn the jersey that day for the Ducks, but he had worn it for Charlie. He had worn it to honor Charlie, and once again all I wanted to do was cry. I stood there in the deli, waiting to order our meats for the week, fighting back these justified tears, because it was just so crazy how big of an impact this man had made in our lives after just a few days of knowing his name. God had truly made a treasure here. He had made a gift, a gift not just to my family, but a gift to this world, though sadly many did not see him as such. When evil strikes, when it manifests itself, when it seeks to destroy that which is good and right, sometimes it feels like the earth itself gets completely thrown off its axis. The condition of humanity itself is revealed as if a bright light has been cast over the world to bring to the surface that which is hidden, and what you see can either help to heal you and inspire you, or it can inflict wound upon wound and create an additional crack in an already broken heart. When Charlie died when he was murdered, to say I was shocked by some of the reports I was hearing as to how people were reacting to the death of this patriot, of this true American hero, shocked me to the very core of my existence. For not only did I hear that people cheered the moment this object of evil struck and killed this husband and father, but the internet itself exploded with people expressing the same excitement that this innocent man had fallen victim to such a wicked and nefarious act, and it was very, very unwell with my soul. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, what I was seeing. It tore my heart to pieces to say the least. I thought to myself, and still do, how can this world be so evil? How did we even get to this point? How can people celebrate and cheer for the passing of a husband and father, a son, a brother, a dearly loved advocate for the pursuit of justice and freedom? How did things get this bad? How can someone hate a man who only wanted every life to have a chance? How can anyone hate another who treasured the life of every person created by the mighty hands of God? I wondered to myself how anyone could not put themselves in the shoes of an innocent woman, a grieving widow, that had to answer the painful question from her precious young daughter as to where Daddy was. When was he coming home? I wondered if anyone had even thought about that, or if it even mattered to them at all. I thought to myself as well, that anyone who cheered for the death of this patriot, the death of this child of the Most High God, might as well have pulled the trigger themselves if they were that satisfied that he had been taken from this world, taken from those that loved him most, taken from all of us. But even in these darkest hours when humanity seems so far from the perfection in which the world was originally created to be, the light of goodness and of love shines much brighter because for everyone that hated Charlie, for each and every one that celebrated the murder of this extraordinary man, two or more soldiers of love would overshadow that hate, would rise up so empathetically, so patriotically, so compassionately, to cry out for the justice that Charlie so rightly deserves, to cry out and shed tears for the wife and children that Charlie so sadly had to leave behind, to stand against the political violence which has plagued our country, the senseless and corruptible evil which has spread like cancer in our world, taking far too many lives in the process just because someone has views that don't line up with their own. Nobody deserves to be murdered, nobody, but even more so, nobody deserves to be murdered for what they hold true to, for what they believe. Everyone has a right to their own views, to their own opinions. And even if they don't line up with our own, we can still choose love and not hate. We can choose peace, not violence. We can still mourn the loss of a life, no matter what side we are on, we can still get along with each other because love is the most powerful emotion, the most beautiful expression of the human heart. And when we let love conquer, when we let love win, when we choose to do the right thing, the beautiful thing, our world becomes a much better place, and it helps to heal the wounds that evil has already inflicted. It helps to bring hope. Charlie's memorial service was held at State Farm Stadium, home to the Arizona Cardinals, on September 21st, 2025, 11 days after his life was stolen from us, stolen from this world. Thousands upon thousands of people would come to pay tribute to Charlie, to this man that had made such an impact in their lives, to this man that was so deeply loved by so many. What started out to be one of the biggest celebrations of life in our country's history, then turned into one of the most powerful spiritual awakenings that our world has ever seen, a revival of hope and of forgiveness. For it was on this day that not only was Charlie remembered and honored for being one of the bravest soldiers for Christ that this earth itself has ever been blessed to have, but the sting of evil, the pungent and abhorrent existence of such darkness, would be defeated by the overcoming words of a beautiful and heartbroken widow. A woman with such love, such courage, such grace, such honor, a woman that loved her husband the way the word of God calls women to love their husbands, a woman who lost the father of her two children, her soulmate, her best friend, the love of her life. When Erika spoke that day, when she poured out her heart, I wonder if all the heavenly hosts may have just come down to strengthen her that very moment, and to stand in awe of this princess of the Most High God, as she not only displayed the kind of strength and resilience that only God Himself can give, but especially when she did the one thing that so many of us may not be able to do, she forgave the man who had taken her love's life. She cut through the darkness with her light, she overcame evil, and through that strength and awe-inspiring courage that she so impeccably demonstrated, through the beauty of a pure and timeless heart, inspired other people around the world to forgive as well. And one can only pray that this Christ-centered act of forgiveness that she extended so gracefully can help soften the heart of the one who broke her own. Because God is gracious and He will forgive a repentant heart. Charlie lived his life longing to make heaven crowded. And as believers in Christ, we know the cost that comes with that. Charlie knew that if you follow Christ, people will hate you, they will despise you, they will reject what you have to say. Christ's own words testify to this knowledge, for it is written, if the world hates you, just remember it hated me first. Think about that. The Savior of the world came to save us, to die in our place. People took our Lord's words, His teaching, His wisdom, His love, and they rejected Him. They hated Him, and they nailed Him to a cross. Jesus exposed things in the hearts of his audience that they did not want to hear, did not want to believe, counted His words as hate. Charlie knew to live as Christ and to die as gain, because he never backed down from the hate. He never gave in to any fear that he may or may not have had, because Charlie picked up his cross daily and he followed Jesus. He set his eyes on the Author and Finisher of his faith, and he never took his eyes off the true prize. Charlie lived and walked the Word of God. He clung to it like an anchor, he put it above all else, wore it like a sleeve, allowed God to ingrain it on his heart, and for that he was hated, and then he was ultimately murdered. Murdered by someone he truly did seek to save. Murdered for clinging to the Word of God, murdered for exercising his rights of free speech in this country, and for loving the God who came down as a man to dwell among us. So even though people would celebrate the evil deed which took Charlie's life, I believe heaven itself would celebrate that which Charlie wanted to be remembered for more than anything. They would celebrate the courage that he had for his God, for his Heavenly Father. They would celebrate the courage that he had for his faith. The Word of God looks death right in the eyes and says, Oh death, where is your sting? Oh grave, where is your victory? You see, death didn't defeat Jesus, and it doesn't defeat His followers either. The world may have seen Charlie's life be taken in such a brutal and senseless way, but I assure you, evil did not win that day, and evil will remain defeated because Christ rid evil of its power the day he died on the cross and when he rose from the dead. No weapon against Charlie did prosper that day. It may have taken his body, but it did not take his soul. It did not take his eternal life. Charlie went to paradise to be with Jesus, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. And Charlie's mission? It didn't die either. Through the power of a warrior wife named Erika Kirk, Charlie's legacy and his vision has and will continue to grow ever stronger. So no, no weapon against Charlie did prosper, nor will it ever prosper. Instead, it lifted him up. It elevated his legacy, and heaven's gates will continue to be filled with the many souls that he has touched, and to those his legacy will never cease to save. Charlie Kirk was just a man, a man like any, but he was exceptional in that he was willing to be a living vessel to stand every day of his life and boldly proclaim to the mighty throne of heaven, here I am, Lord, send me. He is a true example that any one of us can become extraordinary when we don't hold back the power that God wants to unleash in our lives for the furtherance of His Kingdom. You see, everything God creates is always good, but it's up to us to keep his creation consecrated and set apart. And I feel that's something Charlie so remarkably did. He demonstrated the kind of conviction, self-control, and discipline that is rare in our world today. He wasn't tossed to and fro by false ideology. He wasn't blinded by the ruler of darkness, he was grounded in his faith. He was in love with his Creator, truly in love with Him. God's word was a lamp to his feet and a light to his path. Everything in the Word of God was his truth, and for that he was hated by so many, just like our Lord was. And if we say we are in Christ and are not hated and persecuted, could it be that we are not truly in the faith? I feel that's a personal question for all of us to answer. But Charlie was hated. He was hated for calling out evil. He was hated because he loved God, and truly every day it seems Charlie answered the call of Christ to take up his cross daily and never look back. He longed to be a good and faithful servant, to hear those words that we as believers all desperately want to hear. Because guess what? Charlie ran the race, he fought the good fight, he rose up to the call that God had placed on his life. He wanted to be remembered for his faith, and that's exactly what his legacy is blessed to be and will always be. For not only is he known for his unwavering and unshakable faith, but even in his death has brought many souls into the Kingdom for the glory of God. People have gone back to church, people have recommitted their lives to God, people have become bolder in their stance for the furtherance of the gospel. So I guess you can say that through the earthly death of Charlie, many people have found the way to true life. And make no mistake, Charlie may not be on this earth anymore, but he is more alive than any of us. He fulfilled his purpose, and because of that, he has entered the glory of our Lord. And to those who are in Christ, death has no sting. To live is Christ and to die is gain. Don't fear the man that can take the body, but fear the one who has power over the body and the soul, because that, friends, is eternal. Thank you, Charlie. Thank you for your love, thank you for your light, thank you for your legacy. And although you are missed more than words can say, brother, I can assure you that your brothers and sisters in Christ all long to meet you within the pearly gates of heaven. And I have this feeling that you will be right there to greet us all, along with all the other warriors of faith that have gone before you, saints like Moses, Elijah, Abraham, David, Peter, Paul, and so many of the faithful. And to my listeners, I would like to thank you for allowing me to share my heart with you today. And please remember to never waste a moment to honor your hero, because there are so many out there that need to know the impact that they have made in your life, because life is short and they deserve to be elevated. They deserve to be celebrated. And if tomorrow doesn't come the way we planned for it to, please don't waste today, this opportunity, this moment. Live a life full of meaning, live a life full of purpose, live a life for other people, just like Charlie did. To conclude this tribute to a true American hero, my hero, I've written a poem for Charlie and his family that I would like to read in closing. So please stay with me for just a few more moments, if you will. God bless each and every one of you, and Lord, thank you so much for using me for this very special moment. Because when it's all said and done, it's all about You.