A Handshake and a Photo Op with Jimmy Carter

“We should consider the Word to be like a mirror into which Christ looks down from heaven; and then we, looking into it, see His face reflected—darkly, it is true, but still in such a way as to be a blessed preparation for one day seeing Him face to face.” – C.H. Spurgeon

Throughout my life, there have been several people whose talent I have greatly admired. For instance, I absolutely love Frank Sinatra’s voice, although I never approved of his lifestyle. However, I did manage to see him live in concert twice – once at Radio City Music Hall in the late 1970s and once at the Spectrum arena in Philadelphia in the early 1980s. Both times, I sat in the nose-bleed section.

My political hero always was… and always will be… Ronald Wilson Reagan and I saw him at the Cherry Hill Mall when he was campaigning for the presidency in 1980. Once again, however, I was in the back of the crowd, far from the stage.

As far as famous athletes are concerned, Jack Nicklaus is my all-time favorite. Not only was he the greatest champion in the history of the game with 18 majors, but he somehow managed to balance his golfing ambitions with his family life. In fact, when he began his PGA Tour career, Jack promised his wife Barbara that he would never be away from home more than two weeks in a row… and he kept that promise throughout his legendary career. Perhaps that is why they will be celebrating their 66th wedding anniversary next month, probably surrounded by their five adult children and countless grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

I “met” Mr. Nicklaus once during a golf tournament in Orlando a few years ago and exchanged a few words with him. I also had a brief conversation that day with Mrs. Nicklaus… and I will cherish those memories for as long as I live.

But truth be told, we rarely get a chance to interact with people the world considers “great” and if we do, it is generally for a fleeting moment or two. A handshake and photo op with Jimmy Carter… posed pictures with Newt Gingerich, Chris Christie, David Feherty, and Hugh Hewitt… a radio interview with Bill Bennett… and informal chats with Mike Pence and Ron DeSantis when they were no-name congressmen. Not one of them remembers me and quite frankly, those chance encounters had zero lasting impact on my life.

However, people that the world would consider relatively inconsequential – like my wife, my parents, my spiritual mentors, my pastors, my former bosses, my former teammates, and my close friends – have all changed me for the better. And so has Jesus, whom I met when I was in high school and who hasn’t left my side a single day since.
I can’t wait to see Him face-to-face (and maybe President Reagan and Mr. Nicklaus will both be there, as well as Charles Haddon Spurgeon, one of my spiritual heroes. Sadly, I have my doubts about ol’ Blue Eyes.)

“Beloved, we are now children of God, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when Christ appears, we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He is.” I John 3:2 (BSB)

“They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.” Revelation 22:4 (BSB)

- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President