Feb 16, 2025
The Man Who ‘Stepped Down’ To Become President
2-17-25
On Presidents’ Day, it has been my wont to regret the holiday’s celebration of insipid ubiquity – instead of recalling Lincoln, or Washington (whose birthday it generally approximates) of the “Greats,” we implicitly honor nonentities like the briefest-tenured William Henry Harrison, who died of ice cream; and the near-traitor James Buchanan.
It is a holiday fostered and featured by used-car dealers and mattress salesmen, and enjoyed by families seeking three-day weekends instead of beneficial civics lessons.
In the past – my past – I have written essays and given talks reminding people of the greatness of presidents who deserve honor. America has been blessed by a disproportionately high number of exceptional men. Similar to the miracle that saved Donald Trump’s life, the Lord has ordered the affairs of this nation so that men who were spectacularly prepared and equipped became president – Washington, surely; Theodore Roosevelt. Even more remarkable is how obscure men proved to be the right leaders at the right moments, confounding anyone’s expectations. Lincoln, of course; Reagan too, I would say.
I have gathered, and could here again, great words by great presidents – words that defined crises, moved peoples’ hearts, and inspire us yet today.
On this Presidents’ Day, however, I will quote the simple words of a neglected Chief Executive; a sentiment that is as profound as any president’s… or any citizen’s. This president was born in a log cabin, and from humble beginnings became a Civil War general, a congressman, and a president. James Abram Garfield was also a born-again Christian, saved at age 18, and was an elder in his church when elected president. He said, before leaving for Washington:
I resign the highest office in the land to become President of the United States.
I focus on this short quotation by one of the shortest-tenured presidents – Garfield was shot in the back after 200 days in office, and died from his wounds; a hack politician grasping for a job in government was the assassin. I mean no slight of eloquent thoughts of better-known presidents. But Garfield’s views of life’s relative tasks – and opportunities – are lessons for all of us today.
We all have professions; but we must not lose sight of our jobs.
We all have resumes, but putting them into action is what really makes them relevant.
We all must exercise humility. Bosses, the public – and God – put us in places. It is not as important where we serve, as how we serve.
There are men and women, we hear occasionally, who leave jobs, even consequential activities and perhaps comfortable situations and homes “late in life,” to serve as missionaries or ministers. These decisions are admirable!
But I think far less do we hear of clergy and ordained ministers – Garfield was a pastor of his Disciples of Christ church – who “leave the pulpit” and join the ranks, so to speak, of lay people. They bring the Gospel with them to work in the world.
James A Garfield is one my favorite presidents, despite his being robbed of time to prove himself in the White House. He was honest, brilliant (he could write something in Greek in one hand; and write something in Latin by the other, simultaneously), and was a tested leader. In his young days he was an anti-slavery crusader, and was martyred for fighting the cancer of his later days, government corruption.
Short was his time as president, but deserves to be honored – yes, on Presidents’ Day, and all days – for his example to us as a Christian patriot.
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