Notable Quotable: What Can Jimmy Carter Teach Us?

As this year came to a close, so did the long life of former President Jimmy Carter. As news media outlets challenge the merits of his presidency, we ask what we can learn from the way he lived his life.

Long after leaving the White House, Carter didn’t seek wealth or power but dedicated himself to helping those in need and advocating for justice and peace worldwide. We believe, at minimum, Carter’s life challenges us to rethink what it means to succeed. It’s not about accumulating wealth or power but about making a meaningful impact on others.

When his smallest actions come into focus, they teach us to prioritize compassion over competition, humility over arrogance, and unity over division. In a world often driven by self-interest, Carter’s selflessness reminds us that we all have the capacity to create positive change, no matter how big or small.

Here are four quotes from a President who stood as a shining example of how we can all strive to be better human beings if we choose to.

In this first quote, Carter reminds us that it is our own commitments that can beget true justice. In a time when long-standing laws are subjugated to the whims of the elite and powerful, these few, simple words stand out as a call to action for us all.

1. “In the final analysis, true justice is not a matter of courts and law books, but of a commitment in each of us to liberty and mutual respect.”

During this election season we witnessed the shocking rise of an incendiary drumbeat to curtail the rights of women in America, including their right to vote. Misogyny, especially among religious leaders, is nothing new. Carter understood this and called it out in this second quote.

2. “The truth is that male religious leaders have had—and still have—an option to interpret holy teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter."

Today, over 473 million children live in conflict zones—that is 1 in 6 children globally. America has been, and continues to be, instrumental in enabling, funding, or supplying armaments to these conflicts without regard to the innocent lives lost, and ways of life destroyed. This truth weighed heavily on Jimmy Carter, especially throughout his term in office as expressed in this next quote.

3. “I think the most challenging thing for me in my life and in the Bible is that we worship Jesus as the Prince of Peace. And America is constantly at war.”

So what can we do to honor his life?

Let’s have Jimmy Carter tell us in his own words:

4. “We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace. We can make these changes—and we must.”