This February, let us honor three great Americans who profoundly define the American spirit.
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President Ronald Reagan’s birthday – February 6, 1911
President Abraham Lincoln’s birthday – February 12, 1809
President George Washington’s birthday – February 22, 1732
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Ronald Reagan (1911 – 2004)
In the 1990s, I saw an unforgettable display at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, California, featuring many heart-rending letters from or about prisoners of conscience and persecuted missionaries around the world. Each letter moved President Reagan to specifically act on behalf of freedom and justice. Not every story had a happy ending but our 40th President took great pains behind the scenes to use the power of his office to win the freedom of imprisoned and forgotten missionaries. Perhaps he was inspired by this ancient admonition:
[callout1]Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. (Hebrews 13:3)
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With deep conviction, Reagan cared about human freedom for individuals and nations. His legacy goes far beyond mere caring–he also got results. British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher said, “Ronald Reagan had a higher claim than any other leader to have won the Cold War for liberty and he did it without firing a shot.” Reagan understood the moral reprehensibility of communism and the moral necessity of replacing it with institutions of liberty.
Lech Walesa, co-founder of Solidarity and past president of Poland, called Reagan a “friend” and said, “His policy of aiding democratic movements in Central and Eastern Europe in the dark days of the Cold War meant a lot to us. We knew he believed in a few simple principles such as human rights, democracy and civil society.” Walesa added, “…we owe him our liberty.”
Abraham Lincoln (1809 – 1865)
Abraham Lincoln’s birthday used to be a national holiday but today’s children have no memory of that. Charles Darwin was born on the same exact day as Lincoln and, sadly, our secular culture is increasingly turning toward Darwin and away from Lincoln in terms of informed honorable memory. Of these two, one believed that “all men are created free and equal” (Lincoln speech, 1858) and the other that the races of humanity are not equal because they are differently evolved.
Lincoln faced many disappointments and failures in his personal life. As our 16th President, he inherited a bitterly fractured nation wherein liberty was illegal for many black Americans. Leading our nation through its darkest hours, he endeavored to ensure that our “government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.” (Gettysburg Address, Nov. 19, 1863). During the Civil war, Lincoln said, “The times are dark, the spirits of ruin are abroad in all their power, and the mercy of God alone can save us.” After the war, he called for binding up our nation’s wounds without malice (Second Inaugural Address, March 4, 1865).
In his early years, Lincoln was not so religious, but during the darkest days of the Civil War and when his son Willie died suddenly, he began to turn to the Bible and prayer. Before his first term was over, Lincoln had declared more days of prayer, fasting, and thanksgiving than any president before or since. Under him, our Thanksgiving celebration became an annual national holiday. Today, he still stands as an example for how to find strength during the terrors and tragedies of our lives, both as a people and as persons.
George Washington (1732-1799)
Finally, let us never let a February pass without honoring the father of our country. While all other founding fathers were signing founding documents, General Washington was in the field training an army in the courage, stamina and skill required to stand behind the words on those documents. Just keeping his army on the field under harrowing conditions was incredible. Only a man of his stature and dignity could have commanded the respect of his men under the conditions they faced.
The power-hungry French Emperor, Napoleon, in exile, whined, “They wanted me to be another Washington.” Napoleon was incapable of such greatness. Washington lost more battles than Napoleon, but he hung tough until he won his last one. Napoleon won nearly every battle he fought, except his last. Napoleon had genius, but Washington had moral character and strength of conviction. Big difference!
The American Revolution was one of the few in history that did not end in tyranny, as did the French, Russian and Chinese revolutions. George Washington was a primary reason why American freedom persisted and thrived. After winning a nearly impossible victory against the greatest military power on earth, Washington presided over the drafting of our Constitution and then served as our nation’s first President. But his greatest deed may have been to step down from his powerful perch. Washington lived in an era of tyrants; like King George III, Robespierre, Napoleon, and others. Washington had enough popularity and prestige to become the first American king. In those chaotic times, calls for him to rule for life were frequent and loud. Nevertheless (I love that word), he gave up his power and returned to his farm, refusing to trade our hard-fought freedom for the personal prestige of wearing a crown. For over 2,000 years since Cincinnatus returned to his plow, no leader in similar circumstances had willingly done what Washington did. He symbolized the American spirit at its best with his personal virtue, renowned integrity, undying perseverance and unselfish sacrifice.
CONCLUSION:
The American heroes above all combine greatness with imperfection. So does our country. But greatness can be squandered. Consider the warning of our 30th president, Calvin Coolidge:
When the reverence of this nation for its great men dies, the glory of the nation will die with it.<>/b
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The views expressed on this blog are personal and belong to Joel Solliday unless otherwise stated. They are not, intended to characterize the views of the Lewiston Church of Christ or other organizations to which I may refer.