Walk With Me

“And Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34

Until a few weeks ago I was not someone who stayed up with current events in the world. I did not like politics or watching the news because they seemed so negative. Most of my updates came via TikTok or Facebook. That is how I first heard about Charlie Kirk over a year ago. I still wasn’t watching the news, but I had social media to keep me in the loop on a few things. It wasn’t until recently that I realized I am helping no one by not being engaged in the news. As a Christian and as someone who wants to save people, I can’t save a world that I don’t know. I take this time to encourage anyone who has the same feelings about politics and the news. It is our Christian duty to know what is going on around the world so we know how to help it and pray for it. Tune in and engage in our worldly home.

I have watched more news the past couple of weeks than I have my whole life. I want to be more proactive and intentional, so I’ve been watching to see what I need to do. I watched Charlie Kirk’s memorial yesterday and, it was amazing to see every single person who spoke (politicians included) speak about Jesus in front of the whole world. The world came together to worship yesterday because of Charlie Kirk.

Then Erika Kirk, wife (now widow) of Charlie Kirk, came up to speak. Before she spoke any words, she prayed over the room. She then said a few things that will forever be embedded in my mind. She recited the verse above, addressed the man who killed her husband, and said, “I forgive you.”

I’m bringing this up because I’m thinking about the people who I have not forgiven from my past and I ask you, do you have anyone you need to forgive today? The verse, “they know not what they do” holds so much truth and meaning. What should be our response to people who persecute us? As Christians, we should want to respond the way Jesus did time and time again. Hanging on the cross, Jesus said these very words. Speaking for myself, I’m taking Erika Kirk’s lead and forgiving.

We live in a lost world. Students are taught things like, “truth is relative.” The common phrase that comes up in college according to Frank Turek is “true for you but not for me.” This leads them to not know what the truth actually is because they believe that there can be multiple truths. Because young people are being fed lies like “abortion is not murder” or “there’s more than 2 genders,” they truly do not know what they do. Therefore, we must show them love and forgiveness. That is the only way we are going to reach them. If we don’t forgive them, we will never reach them.

There are new believers in this world every day. In the last 2 weeks, hundreds of people have gone to church for the first time. As we continue to plant seeds, it is crucial that we water them. They will be persecuted by friends and family and will be tempted to turn away from the Lord. It is up to us to walk with them and encourage them. Pour into them the way Jesus poured into His disciples. They need us.

You have my prayers and love,

Courtney McKean