In The Wake

Unless you live on another planet, you know that Charlie Kirk was killed last month. Since then, there have been probably thousands of articles written about this horrifying event, many of them beginning with the phrase, "In the wake of Charlie Kirk's assassination . . . "

As I thought about that phrase I realized how many different meanings the word "wake" has. It can refer to the trail of waves created by a boat moving through water, a celebration in observance of the life of someone who has died, or it can mean emerging, or causing someone else to emerge, from sleep.

I think each meaning applies to Charlie Kirk's death, and thinking through this helped me process what happened.

First, a wake is the trail of waves created by a boat moving through water. The size and energy of a wake depends on how big the boat is, how fast it's going, the depth of the water, and the amount of water displaced.

In this instance the boat, you might say, is the life and impact of Charlie Kirk, which means it's a really big boat; I wasn't personally a follower of him, but judging by the reaction to his assassination, the amount of vitriol in so many comments, the reaction of some members of Congress to a request for a moment of silence, the fact that the President honored him with the medal of Freedom, and the 5-hour televised memorial service, his life had an enormous impact--such a massive "boat" leaves behind it a tremendous wake.

The climate in America-- the heightened sense of conflict, mistrust of authority, and our degraded ability and willingness to communicate, collaborate, and compromise on the issues we face as a nation--could be viewed as the water in which this "boat" traveled. By his bold willingness to engage in conversation and debate with those who see things differently than he, Charlie moved powerfully and swiftly through these depths with a clear vision of his end goal.

An interesting thing about a wake is that it can rock, swamp, or sink smaller boats, or even throw passengers on smaller boats overboard. In the wake of such a significant life, we have to be careful not to let the anger, sadness, or confusion that have surged like waves cause us to lose our balance; we have to stay focused and hold steady, especially when confronted by hateful or vicious responses.

According to the second meaning, a wake is a celebration in observance of the life of someone who has died. Charlie wasn't really on my radar before he was killed. Since then, like so many others, I've viewed multiple videos of conversations he had with students, and it's become abundantly clear to me that he cared deeply, both about the people he engaged with, and the issues he debated. The life of someone so clearly committed to his faith and his country, so courageous in pursuing his calling, so worthy of admiration and emulation deserves a fabulous wake!

Last, "wake" as a verb means to emerge, or cause someone else to emerge, from sleep. Charlie's death did exactly that in the lives of millions, myself included. His shocking and sudden assassination has caused millions to examine our willingness faithfully to serve Christ and the calling he's placed on us. It's had a way of clarifying what matters most, and has challenged us to be honest with ourselves about choosing comfort over obedience and failing to speak truth out of fear or distaste for conflict. Personally, I'm praying for greater courage and commitment, and the ability to graciously engage in conversation with others as Charlie did.

So, in the wake of Charlie Kirk's death, may we not be swamped by resentment, anger, or fear, not allow ourselves to be knocked off our feet by the surge of negative and hateful things we've heard or read; may we we truly celebrate within our hearts the fact that God has used this tragedy for our good and His glory; and let's remember that Charlie, and all of us who are Christians, will live forever; this is not the end!

May his death wake us up; may those of us who've been asleep, going with the flow and avoiding hard things, be stirred to speak

truth, and The Truth, Jesus Christ. Only as we look to him can we avoid drowning in our own speculations, our own efforts. May God save us from ourselves, and empower each of us to live the life he's called us to live.