The reason I cried at the passing of Jimmy Carter, though I never met the man, is because of how he lived his life. In a world where the term “public servant” has become increasingly hollow, Carter stood as a rare, shining example of its true meaning. He embodied humility, compassion, and a genuine commitment to serve—not just the powerful, the wealthy, or the influential, but the ordinary, the marginalized, and the forgotten. His life was a testament to what leadership can look like when it is rooted in integrity and faith.
Jimmy Carter wasn’t perfect, but perfection is not what we seek in our leaders; we seek humanity. And in Carter, we found it. The man who taught Sunday school in Plains, Georgia, was the same man who wielded power on the global stage. He didn’t separate his faith from his politics or his moral convictions from his policies. He believed that every human being, no matter how small or powerless, was worth serving.
When Carter left the White House, he didn’t leave his sense of duty behind. Instead, he picked up a hammer and helped build homes for the homeless. He worked to eradicate diseases, monitor elections, and broker peace in some of the world’s most volatile regions. He lived as if the well-being of others was his personal responsibility, even when he had nothing to gain from it.
The fact that I now know there will never be another U.S. president who truly cares about me and those who can do nothing for them or their friends breaks my heart. Carter’s presidency was not marked by grandstanding or partisan bickering; it was marked by his relentless pursuit of justice, his willingness to make unpopular decisions for the greater good, and his unwavering belief in the power of kindness.
Jimmy Carter reminded us of what is possible when leaders choose service over self-interest, compassion over convenience. And now, as we mourn his passing, we also mourn the loss of what he represented. His death marks the end of an era—an era where the leader of the free world could also be a friend to the least of these.
In Carter’s life, we saw the best of what humanity has to offer. In his passing, we are left with the challenge of carrying forward his legacy. May we strive to lead our lives with the same courage, humility, and love for others that he demonstrated every day. And may we never forget that leadership is not about the power you hold, but the people you serve.