On Presidents’ Day each year, 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) among 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 civics lessons.

America has been blessed by a disproportionately high number of exceptional men. Like the miracle that saved Donald Trump’s life, the Almighty has ordered the affairs of America so that men who were spectacularly prepared and equipped became president — Washington, surely, and 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.

Many of us can recall great words by great presidents — words that defined crises, moved people’s hearts, and inspired us yet today. Or, we ought to be able to do so.

But let us quote the simple words of a neglected president; 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.”

Engraving of James A. Garfield’s assassination published in Illustrated Newspaper on July 16, 1881 (A. Berghaus and C. Upham/Wikimedia Commons)

This short quotation was said 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 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.

We occasionally hear of men and women 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.

Far less, however, 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 might have been a “Near Great” president, by historians’ polling measurements, despite his being robbed of the time to prove himself in the White House. He was honest, brilliant (he could write something in Greek with one hand and something in Latin with 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 he deserves to be honored — yes, on Presidents’ Day, and all days — for his example to us as a Christian, a patriot, a savvy general, an accomplished citizen, a reformer, and a martyr. And a president who had his priorities straight.

READ MORE from Rick Marschall:

Carter: A Man of Little Consequence, Spoils His Farewell

All Hail the Once and Future President, Donald Trump

Rick Marschall is a former political cartoonist and frequent commentator. Among his 75 books and many essays, he has written about the American presidency including three books on Theodore Roosevelt. He has taught at Rutgers University and Bryn Mawr’s Institute of the Gifted; and has spoken overseas for the US Information Service of the State Department. One of his three weekly blogs is MondayMinistry.com/blog