President Jimmy Carter is a man whose faith is demonstrated by the way he lives and by the way he thinks about life. 

He will not be remembered as the greatest President we have ever had. He certainly was not the worse. He made mistakes like any other sitting president. His presidency was overtaken by events such as the Iranian hostage affair.

But fortunately this is not what Jimmy Carter will be remembered for in the years to come. He should and will be remembered as a man of deep faith whose spirituality had feet and hands.

In other words he walked the walk and talked the talk. 

His role in helping build the popular Habitat for Humanity into a national success is well documented. Teaching Sunday school in his home church well after he left office speaks of his commitment to Christian education. Serving as a deacon in his home church speaks to his commitment to serve.

Carter disassociated himself from the Southern Baptists over the issue of women not being allowed to serve as pastors. His stance against any kind of exclusion spoke of his own commitment to an inclusionary Gospel.

There is so much more to this man than the political microscope was ever able to capture or just his four years in the oval office.

Yet I think by far his greatest contribution to humanity just might be his views on war and peace. Jimmy Carter is a man of peace. He makes no bones about his position on the future of our country(or the world) if its leaders do not find more peaceful ways to resolve global conflict.

Here is a man whose finger was not far from the infamous button politicians refer to today. A man who had the potential power to incinerate the world in nuclear holocaust. Such power often corrupts. Sometimes, as in Carter’s case, it leads to humility. Thank God.

Carter recently hosted a forum on human rights at the Carter Center in Atlanta (Washington Post) at which 60 global activists attended and warned that the world is at a “turning point in history” and nations need to create more peaceful ways to deal with global conflict or the future of the world will be in question.

Jimmy Carter is what gives me hope for a better America. It is folks like this humble Georgia gentleman who will make America greater than she's ever been. It is the spirit of service for the sake of others and the love for all of humanity that will create a more holistic and viable vision for a better America and a better world.

We humans have been using warfare to solve one conflict after another for as long as any of us can remember and strange as it may seem, nothing has been accomplished. The world is as dangerous now as it ever has been, yet we continue to arm ourselves to the teeth believing that there is some kind of redemption in “State supported violence” (Jimmy Carter).

I pray for more Jimmy Carters to emerge on the political scene. America is a great nation already. There is no “again” in that silly mantra. We are a blessed people to be sure and it is people like Jimmy Carter that reminds us that America isn’t here for us but rather we are here for America.

We live in a global village and the way we learn to live together in spite of our differences will be  critical for our survival.

Together we can make the world better; we can make America better but only as we discover our own capacity to give more than we get.

So thank you Jimmy Carter for reminding us what really is important in this country. Perhaps with men and women such as you leading us we will regain some since of civility and statesmanship in a nation whose political apparatus has gone awry and a country that has become deeply divided.

God help us all.