The Other Charlie

Heaven Has a New Sheriff

Charlie Kirk was a maverick, someone whom everyone could tell was going somewhere because he had already succeeded in taking things places. God is gracious to endow our lives with these individuals we call heroes: not necessarily exceptional people in themselves (though some, like President Trump, have no qualms claiming what credit they can), but those who went above & beyond making the most of the opportunities that came their way. Chuck Norris, one of the most exceptional individuals on the planet (with a meme reputation to match) yet so individually humble in turn, is another one of these heroes.

As I can attest in my own life, we each have precious little control over the circumstances with which we are presented. Ideals, while they can serve as a good motivating force, are prone to collapse in the face of harsh reality. But as a born-again Christian (as is Chuck Norris) I can accept the greater perspective that God is in control, which means He has a purpose for everything and our onus in this life is to do our best to live up to each of our individual God-given purpose.

When I met Chuck Norris back in 2010 I had bought his book Black Belt Patriotism and brought it to him for signing. As I mentioned in a previous post, our brief conversation was about our shared faith in Jesus Christ. I was young and learning how to tackle life at the time, and if anything have grown to appreciate more over time his experienced perspective on how to serve our purpose as Christians and Americans.

Back in my earlier writing days I would reflect how history is full of turning points (yay, Charlie Kirk!) that define its twists. With what is going on in the Middle East right now, a flashpoint in a much bigger set of moves by the Trump administration to make America dominant in the world again, I consider other such flashpoints in history. From the historical overview for Red Baron II (Sierra/Dynamix, 1997):

"One wrong turn changed the course of history. On June 28, 1914, Austrian Archduke Franz Ferdinand arrived in the Bosnian city of Sarajevo intent on attending army maneuvers in that recently annexed province of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The results of that visit set in motion a chain of events that lead to the bloodiest war in world history. Long after all the players that day were dead and buried, the effects of their actions resounded for decades, affecting the course of both Europe and the United States for generations to come."

These turning points can be frightening. The world, more globalized, interdependent, and flippant with their currencies than ever before, seems vulnerable to economic crisis at the slightest disruption. Long past WWII, the last in which the result was decided by overwhelming attrition, warfare keeps taking on new dimensions with technological equalizers that commanders are finding difficult to keep up with. Yet the same God in control back then still is, thus one assurance we can rest in is that nothing takes Him by surprise.

So where does that leave each of us today? Many of us may already have a part to contribute by serving in our societies, which is good but only one aspect of the root question: are we making best us of what God has entrusted us with? Even this blog is a manifestation of my aspiration to fulfill that purpose, as I turn commentary on hobby passions back towards pointing people to Him. Our part may not seem like much, especially relative to life's heroes, but we can control doing our part and leave the rest to Him.

The hero caricatures of President Trump are amusing to those lighthearted enough.

The other essential element of this perspective is that things in this life are not ends unto themselves but always means to a greater end. In the broadest sense, we Christians already know that ultimate end is to glorify God. Where we may (I know because I have) get lost is how that translates into specific direction for each of us, which emphasizes the importance of having a daily intimate relationship with our Lord & God so we are best-equipped to identify those opportunities to fulfill our callings as they come.

Life calling is a concept even the secular world understands. The problem, absent Biblical perspective, is that people will be seeking their callings on their own thus, if they believe they have failed, the results can be tragic. Others may be TOO content (in this regard, certainly not in a materialistic sense), opting to drift through life taking as much as they can get away with while giving little to nothing in turn.

This is the overarching perspective in Black Belt Patriotism: 1) that America is an exceptional country and that alone makes Americans exceptionally called; 2) preparing to live up to that American calling means attaining a distinctly American capacity for balance and self-sufficiency. Freedom, in an American sense, is not license to do whatever one wishes in life but rather means to achieve greater ends. From taking care of one's physical shape, to learning how to think logically & critically in order to attain education in any choice field, to investing all necessary dedication once one's calling is positively identified: it all ties together in bettering oneself, which helps in making America great [again], which in turn helps make the world a better place[, all ultimately for the glory of God].

In the meantime, whatever is going on in the world (plus whenever the country is hijacked by causes of darkness and led astray), we can take comfort in knowing we are doing all we can to fulfill our calling and that is all that can be asked of us. Change, and the need to adapt to it, is a constant in life, but still: the better prepared we are, the easier it will be to ride out the rapids. We are not promised achievement or prestige, or even the guarantee of living past tomorrow, but we are promised "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

As the saying goes, Legends Never Die!