Honoring President George H.W. Bush -- Character is What Mattered Most

A gift of two tickets from my children to the OU vs Texas Big-12 game on Saturday sure made me giddy and proud to represent our Oklahoma team well. It was a thrill to be on the “winning” side in the Cowboys’ incredible AT&T Stadium. On our way back home, my Waze app directed us to go down the President George Bush Tollway (PGBT). It was Saturday so the usual traffic was way less and we made it home quickly.

Not until I heard about our 41st President George H.W. Bush passing away late Saturday, did I think much about a toll road named after him. Suffice it to say, that person must have lived a stellar life and done some remarkable things, to have something named after them. I remember my daughter's comments about his genuine kindness to her after she sang "God Bless America" and "I'm Proud to be an American" at an event where she shared the stage with him at a motivational event. His "talk" was about character and freedom.

I've read many stories that came with many accolades and acknowledgments of his character, integrity, and honor. He was the last U.S. president to have served in combat. He and his adoring wife, Barbara, hold the record for the longest marriage in presidential history. A young man of "means", he enlisted in the armed forces on his 18th birthday. The youngest pilot in the Navy when he got his wings, he flew 58 combat missions during the World War II. On a mission over the Pacific, he was shot down and rescued by a US submarine. He was elected to two terms in the House of Representatives, then served as Ambassador to the UN, then Director of the CIA, vice president, and president.

More than all those accomplishments, President Bush has been remembered most for his personal character. President Trump celebrated Mr. Bush’s “authenticity, disarming wit, and unwavering commitment to faith, family, and country.” NATO Ambassador Kay Bailey Hutchison added, “He represented the best of our country with generosity, dignity, humility, and kindness.” His son, Jeb, called him simply “the greatest human being that I will ever know.”

Two commitments explain Mr. Bush’s legacy: his desire to live with integrity, and his love for Christ. It had to be his faith that produced such a legacy of character. Here’s what is most important for us to learn from someone who has lived a value-based life. A life of such character does not end when its days on earth are over. The Bible says of the righteous Abel, “Through his faith, though he died, he still speaks” (Hebrews 11:4).

We can certainly learn from his legacy and resolve to emulate his life of character and commitment to Jesus. If we make those choices, our lives will speak on earth long after we are in heaven. Dr. Charles Spurgeon put it this way: “A good character is the best tombstone. Those who loved you and were helped by you will remember you when forget-me-nots have withered. Carve your name on hearts – not on marble.”

We will remember you, President Bush! Thank you for living your life with honor and integrity. This day, I’m being challenged with taking my own character up a notch because of the inspiration of your life and death. RIP.