As you talk to your children about yesterday’s tragedy, here are three takeaways from Charlie’s life that are worth discussing and learning from as a family.

1. Charlie was unashamed of his faith in Jesus. Over and over again, Charlie made it known that he was a follower of Jesus, that Jesus is the only way, and that every person is in need of a Savior, no matter who they are. Charlie was passionate about his faith, and wanted everyone to know his Jesus. Christ was the foundation of his life.
2. Charlie boldly stood for his beliefs. Whether you agreed with him or not, Charlie knew what he believed, knew how to defend what he believed, and was willing to die for what he believed. Few people in today’s culture have the boldness and conviction that Charlie had. Our world would be a better place if more people did.
3. Charlie respected people of different opinions. Charlie’s entire platform was about having civil dialogue with those who disagreed with him. He believed in the power of free speech, and the freedom of persuasion through debate to change people’s hearts and minds. In a polarized society, this is exactly what America needs more of—people willing to have a violence-free and discussion-filled conversation, and simply hear each other out, even if they agree to disagree.

If my kids grew up to embody these three qualities, I’d be a very proud dad.

Pray for the family of Charlie Kirk. Pray for healing for our nation. Pray for our children’s future.

Andrew Linder is a husband, the father of four awesome kids, and a children’s pastor at a thriving church. He is the founder of GodlyParent.com and is passionate about intentional parenting and helping other parents and leaders effectively reach the next generation. He is also the author of the new book, Godly Parenting In An Ungodly World: How to raise not just good but godly kids through heart-driven grace-based parenting.

Featured Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay