Morning Note

Tens of thousands of Americans flocked to Glendale, Arizona, for Charlie Kirk’s memorial service on Sunday, nobly paying tribute to the 31-year-old father of two just 11 days after his murder. Charlie's wife, Erika, stole the show.

What would you do if you were in her position? Staving off feelings of rage would be enormously difficult. A killer robbed her of a lifetime with her husband, and her children of growing up with their dad. No one would have faulted her for using her speech to lash out. But she didn’t. Instead, she did perhaps the most Christ-like thing imaginable: she forgave the assassin.

“On the cross, our Savior said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do,’” the grieving widow said as she fought back tears. “That man, that young man, I forgive him. I forgive him because it is what Christ did. It is what Charlie would do. The answer to hate is not hate. The answer we know from the gospel is love, and always all. Love for our enemies and love for those who persecute us.”

Anyone can teach their kids about forgiveness, but actually embodying it is a completely different beast. We are in awe of Mrs. Kirk’s strength.

Read more here and watch the full speech here.