Life Matters - September 17, 2025

“When you tear out a man’s tongue [or shoot his neck] 

You are not proving him a liar 

You’re only telling the world that 

You fear what he might say.”  – George R.R. Martin 

On Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 2:30 PM CT my phone pinged. It was a message from Newsmax: “Turning Point Chief Charlie Kirk has been shot, according to reports.” There was a link, but since I’ve stuck to my flip phone I had no access. I prayed, knowing only that Mr. Kirk had been hit, how hard I didn’t know. 

At 6:04 my phone pinged again. It was an update from Newsmax: “Rob Schmitt remembers Charlie Kirk.” …remembers… my heart sank… with my hopes for the best. But, it wasn’t until I arrived at son Steve and Franci’s house for supper and the night that the worst was confirmed to me. ‘’He died,” a still stunned Franci told me, “he was hit in the neck.” My first reaction was anger at the perpetrator. ‘’Do they have the jerk who did it?” I asked Steve. His answer didn’t help my anger. ‘’No” he said, “not yet.”

But, by the grace of God, I said no more about the perpetrator, save some complaining to Steve about nihilistic left-wing political activists targeting any goodness with unreasonable destruction. And, I might add, at times goaded on by Dem (for demagogue) politicians. The Left has lost its sound mind somewhere in the nether regions of pagan rhetoric. A pagan threat that Charlie Kirk warned us about. Unloading to a like-minded son helped. 

In case you’re wondering, yes, my anger settled, my reason returned, and a great sadness settled upon me. I sent a text to Sadie; “A servant of God. Charlie Kirk was shot n killed today. A huge loss for Americans but heaven’s gain.” Even though I didn’t know Charlie personally, I knew what he was up to, knew of his impact for good and the Gospel, listened to his podcasts at times, and loved what I was seeing and hearing. But now he was gone. Suddenly and demonically taken away from this world which desperately needs more, not less, of Charlie Kirk’s influence. My heart went out to his wife and children. 

‘’The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church.” -Tertullian. Slowly, hope spread over my sadness. Charlie Kirk was widely known. Many have been the prayers for revival, a spiritual awakening, in America and beyond. Perhaps…the trigger that took Charlie’s life would also now trigger an awakening, a Spirit-filled revival, beyond even what we’ve been asking for, or thinking of. 

On 9/10/25 America lost a hero. But what handsome, well-versed and articulate Charlie Kirk stood for lives on, and just is. It is alive, as active as ever, perhaps even more so at the death of this martyr whose standing for truth sealed his physical fate. The truth he stood for lives on in the minds and hearts of many Americans and across the globe. That is because Truth is eternal. Contrary to pagan leftist ideas, Truth is the bedrock from which all of life functions correctly. 

Charlie Kirk spoke Truth fearlessly and with a smile. Consistently kind describes Charlie. To friend and foe alike. Coming across as comfortable in his own skin, he spoke Truth as one would speak of a close friend. Because Charlie had come in contact with the One who embodied Truth. The One who said He Himself is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. (John 14:6) Charlie found our Lord and Savior to be his own personal Way, Truth, and Life. Hence the wisdom. He believed his foes could become his brothers and sisters in Christ. Hence the wisdom accompanied with a smile. I don’t know this because I knew Charlie personally. I know this by being familiar with what Jesus does in the minds, hearts, and lives of people, including myself. I may never have the voice, nor ever the platform that Charlie had, but I can be faithful from whatever voice and platform I do have. So can you. 

And that is Christian revival. Whether it be a small or a mass movement, at the end of the day, in quietness, Christian revival is very personal. It searches out the hidden corners of dishonesty, darkness, depression, and fills those places with reality, light, and joy. Revival is repentance and then joy in our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Revival is contagious. In a good way. 

‘’We are called to be salt and light. What salt and light have in common is they both change the environments they come in contact with.” So said Charlie in one of his many stands for truth. By spreading salt and light, Charlie changed environments so effectively that he incurred more than the usual wrath from the prince of darkness who corralled one of his own to carry out this heinous deed.  

May God raise up so many Charlie Kirks that even his foes become converted, becoming brothers and sisters in Christ. Make America Safe Again. Law and Order is needed. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is essential for a peaceful continuum of law and order. 

Our love and sympathy to Charlie’s widow and their two beautiful children. God bless them. I pray that God would be Ericka’s husband and a father to the children.  

Ericka, God bless her, has determined that what Charlie began will not die with him. It has only begun. I think she’s right. Turning Point USA was flooded with 32,000+ Campus Chapter requests in the first 48 hours after Charlie Kirk’s assassination. 

Rest in peace Charlie, may God raise up millions like you.

Life Matters!