Charlie Kirk and a Character that Counts

“You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (Matthew 5:11-12 CSB – Read the chapter)

Most days are mundane. That’s not to say they are boring, but they don’t stand out as particularly notable. They won’t likely be remembered for long. But every now and then, something happens that is going to be remembered; something happens that will define a whole generation. And while we don’t always recognize these moments as they happen, other times there’s really no doubt. Yesterday we crossed the 24th anniversary of 9/11. That was a generation-defining moment if there ever was one. The day before that our nation experienced another moment that will likely come to define this generation when a young man was murdered—assassinated, really—in cold blood. Let’s reflect for just a few minutes in Charlie Kirk.

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Morning Musing: Matthew 5:11-12

“You are blessed when they insult you and persecute you and falsely say every kind of evil against you because of me. Be glad and rejoice, because your reward is great in heaven. For that is how they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” (CSB – Read the chapter)

People don’t like it when you’re happy at times they think you shouldn’t be. There’s a great scene from the classic baseball movie Field of Dreams when Kevin Costner’s dad tells him how he hit when he played. He would look the opposing pitcher in the eyes, and just before he threw the ball, he would smile and wink at him. He said this would get in their head and make them think he knew something they didn’t know. Of course, when he actually got to put this into practice in the ghostly game near the end of the film, the pitcher threw the ball at his head in retaliation, but it worked. As followers of Jesus, we get to be like that batter. No matter how bad things may get in this life, we can smile and give a little wink because we know something the world doesn’t know. This is what Jesus tells us joy looks like.

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