"And the men who hold high places must be the ones who start to mold a new reality closer to the heart" Rush, Closer to the Heart, from A Farewell to Kings, 1977
The 39th U.S. president, James Earl Carter Jr., known the world over as "Jimmy", left this world on December 29. His century-long life was nothing short of extraordinary. From peanut farmer to naval officer to state politician to the Oval Office, Jimmy did it all. In fact, when he got voted out of the White House in 1980, he was a relatively young man at just 56 years old. With retirement age still a few years away, one can be forgiven for wondering what to do next. After occupying the world's most powerful office, how do you go up from there? I guess it all depends on how you define "up". Jimmy was about to experience God's meaning of "up" and as a life-long Christian who taught Sunday School at his church in Plains, Georgia (and in D.C.), he would've understood that in principle. Actually living it, though, is another story and this is where his extraordinary life's work went upwards.
I believe that God isn't all that impressed by our lofty positions, pomp or pageantry. Being King of the universe, the Creator of all things seen and unseen, why would He be awestruck by all the fuss we make over ourselves? While human institutions are important, powerful and much needed for maintaining peace, justice and good order, God has no problem in using them as mere stepping stones for His purposes in the world. Such was the presidency for Jimmy Carter. It was merely a spring board for something far greater in the eyes of God - peacemaking. In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God" and by answering the call, Jimmy showed the world just what noble and great things God can accomplish through those who say yes to Him.
I learned just this week that in the 1980s, God began to use Jimmy's presidential fame to help eradicate the Guinea worm disease that was plaguing millions in over 20 African and Asian countries. There were only 14 known cases of this disease by 2023. Had Carter never been president, he likely wouldn't have been able to rally the Center for Disease Control, the World Health Organization and other multinational agencies to get this done. With Rosalynn at his side, he swung a hammer to help Habitat for Humanity build homes for the needy, reminding everyone of our responsibility to the poor. He was used by his own country and others to bring order and harmony to many of the world's trouble spots and he drew attention to human suffering that the wealthier nations often just ignore. Between now and his funeral on January 9, we will hear many more reports of the good deeds he did to better mankind after his brief stint in the White House.
In three weeks, Donald Trump will be inaugurated as president for the second time. I was pleasantly surprised to read the tribute he gave Carter and the comforting words he extended to the Carter family. It is my hope that Trump will recognize and embrace the source of Carter's greatness instead of focusing on the political revenge that is quickly becoming the hallmark of his boomerang presidency. We'll see his choice soon enough. U.S. flags on federal buildings will still be at half-mast on Trump's Inauguration Day because of the 30-day mourning period for Carter. How Donald Trump deals with that will give us a pretty good indication of what we can expect over the next four years.
