Living Boldly: A Tribute to Charlie Kirk

By: Leighann Manross

The news of Charlie Kirk’s assassination has left so many of us shaken. Many of us never met him personally, yet we feel this deep grief because we knew what he stood for — and what he stood for was eternal. Charlie’s life was a testament to what it means to live boldly for Christ, even when it’s unpopular, even when it’s dangerous.

He did exactly what God called him to do. He used his voice to lead people to Jesus. He spoke truth even when people hated him for it. He reminded us that following Christ isn’t about comfort — it’s about obedience.

1 Peter 3:15 – “You must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it.”

Charlie lived this verse daily. His faith wasn’t something he kept to himself. He was unashamed of the Gospel. He didn’t pick and choose the parts of Scripture that were convenient — he lived in all of it.

Psalm 37:5 – “Commit everything you do to the Lord. Trust him, and he will help you.”

And commit he did. Charlie gave his time, his platform, and his life to glorify God. His courage should ignite something in all of us.

Because here’s the truth: being a follower of Jesus isn’t passive. It isn’t about living quietly and comfortably. It is about living boldly, speaking truth, and standing up for righteousness — even when it costs you something.

Proverbs 31:8 – “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, ensure justice for those being crushed.”

Charlie modeled this so well. And now, we are called to pick up the torch. To keep speaking, keep standing, keep loving.

And yes, some will hate you for it. Jesus told us they would:

Matthew 5:44 – “But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you.”Luke 6:27 – “But to you who are willing to listen, I say, love your enemies! Do good to those who hate you.”

This is hard — but it’s the way of Jesus. It’s what Charlie did, and it’s what we are called to do.

Because our only hope — the only hope for this broken, hurting world — is Jesus.

John 3:16 – “For this is how God loved the world. He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.”

Charlie knew this, believed this, and proclaimed this until his very last breath.

So where do we go from here?

We choose to live as he lived — unafraid, unashamed, and unwavering in faith. We speak truth with love, we pray for those who hate us, and we keep pointing people back to the only One who can save.

1 Peter 3:12-17 reminds us: “The eyes of the Lord watch over those who do right, and his ears are open to their prayers. But the Lord turns his face against those who do evil… Even if you suffer for doing what is right, God will reward you for it. So don’t worry or be afraid of their threats. Instead, you must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way…”

Charlie’s death is not the end of the story. If anything, it is a call for us to rise up, to be bold, and to carry forward the mission: making Jesus known. May we honor his life by living faithfully. May we honor his courage by speaking truth. May we honor his legacy by pointing people to Christ.

Because at the end of the day, this is about eternity. And the only thing that will matter is whether we used our voice, our life, and our influence to bring others to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.

So let’s live boldly. Let’s speak truth. And let’s keep the hope of Jesus burning bright.