A Man of Generous Heart

I had a few hours break at home today between my morning class in Raleigh and my night class in Burlington. I’ve said it before, this morning and night schedule is not my favorite, but at least I got to be home in between. I was having my late lunch/early dinner, as there is no good time to eat with this schedule and the TV was on.

A special news report interrupted whatever I was not watching so I paid attention. It was the coverage of Jimmy Carter’s arrival on air force one to Washington. The news was showing the casket and his family coming to bring him to the capitol for his funeral. As the coverage was a lot of watching a hearse drive down a road David Muir was talking with different people who knew Carter or and interviewed him as a color commentary to fill boring video.

One person who was riding in the motorcade with the family was one of Jimmy Carter’s spiritual leaders. I didn’t catch his name, but what he said really struck me.

It was clear he had known the president well and for a long time and they had a profound relationship with each other. This man said every time he went to Plains to see the President, right up until the end, Carter would ask him the same four questions.

“Where have you been?”

“What have you done?”

“Who did you help?”

“How can I help you help them?”

I burst into tears because it was a lesson on servant leadership that was so simple.

Carter was diagnosed with Cancer and given two weeks to live, three years before he actually died. His friend said that even during those last three years the questions and the heartfelt offers of help never changed.

We lost this kind of leader. Please remember this the next time you have to vote for someone to be a leader. We need people who know it is not about them, but about how they can help, and do it with a generous heart.

God Bless Jimmy Carter.