Ericka Kirk recently made this statement when she had to do something that she probably never dreamed that she would do this early in her marriage to Charlie Kirk. On September 10th, 2025, in an instant, she became a widow with two very small children because her husband had been assassinated. At Charlie’s memorial service, she stood on a stage in front of thousands of people who had come to honor his legacy and indeed many who watched from home and, in that moment, she state that she forgave the man who murdered her husband. She further stated the following, “I forgive him because it was what Christ did and is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate.”
There are many who can relate to the suddenness of a death of a loved one. They can understand the strain and heartache that goes along with the loss. They can know how hard it is to have to explain to their children that someone that they loved is not coming back home. What is hard to relate to is when the world loses a great man because someone didn’t want him to make true statements. What is hard to grasp is this idea of others celebrating the death of someone who was so effective in winning people over, that they felt that he needed to be silenced. What is even harder to say and believe and feel is forgiveness when someone is killed because they spoke truth and also preached about the love of God.
What does that have to do with forgiveness? We must remember that the opposite of hate is love.
The more that I get to know about Charlie, the more of his videos that I see, and listen to the people who knew him personally, I begin to understand that God gave Charlie a voice in order to bring the world together. Recognizing truth is hard. It should make us uncomfortable when we look within but then we should also begin to recognize that truth is hard because we are sinful creatures. Our sinfulness can help us to know that we NEED God in our lives because God is love. God is grace. God is joy and God is certainly forgiveness. After all, He gave us the greatest example for us to follow in His Son, Jesus, who forgave those who crucified Him because they didn’t want to hear the truth then, either.
Thank you Ericka. I am forever changed. Not only because of what Charlie stood for but also for your heartbreaking courage to proclaim that hate has no place in your heart and it shouldn’t in this as well. I do know that hate will not cast a shadow over the memory of a truly beautiful man that was with us for only a short while but, we already know that his legacy will have an everlasting impact on others for years to come. His leaving left a huge hole in our hearts but we will ALL continue where he left off.
So, I’ll say to you, Charlie, you can rest easy…. we’ve got this now.
What did I learn from this? If I am to be a disciple of Christ, then I need to speak truth especially when it’s hard. If I am to be a helpmate to God, then I must love those who hate me because of the truth that I speak. If I am to be called Christian, I have to know that I write this blog for God’s glory and not for my own. He speaks through me. I know that we HAVE to turn to God. We NEED Him in our lives even if we don’t yet know it. I just know, sinful though I am, that I am a better person because God guides me every step of the way. (Related posts: The Lost Sheep and Okay, God, help me with this….why do You say that I need to forgive others?)
What can you gain from this? I pray that for anyone who reads this, that you begin to understand the peace that comes from having God in your life. We are ALL sinful and have fallen short of God’s glory, but luckily, He made a way so that we can be with Him when we leave this life. So go out and live your best life with God at the center of it. Don’t worry about what others think or say…. give that to God. Find the love and forgiveness that Ericka and Charlie found and trust that God will help you to handle anything that comes your way. Remember that NOTHING is too difficult for God to handle!
A Joyful Mission 