Abraham Lincoln, James A. Garfield, William McKinley, J.F. Kennedy, and Ronald Reagan had a few things in common. Obviously, they were all presidents. But they all have shared the undesirable event of being shot. Only one survived. On this day in 1981, President Reagan was shot in the chest by John Hinckley, Jr. outside of a hotel in Washington, D.C.
“The president had just finished addressing a labor meeting at the Washington Hilton Hotel and was walking with his entourage to his limousine when Hinckley, standing among a group of reporters, fired six shots at the president, hitting Reagan and three of his attendants. White House Press Secretary James Brady was shot in the head and critically wounded, Secret Service agent Timothy McCarthy was shot in the side, and District of Columbia policeman Thomas Delahanty was shot in the neck. After firing the shots, Hinckley was overpowered and pinned against a wall, and President Reagan, apparently unaware that he’d been shot, was shoved into his limousine by a Secret Service agent and rushed to the hospital.
“The president was shot in the left lung, and the .22 caliber bullet just missed his heart. In an impressive feat for a 70-year-old man with a collapsed lung, he walked into George Washington University Hospital under his own power.”1
President Reagan had quite a sense of humor that showed up during debates, State of the Union addresses, and even while speaking before dignitaries in foreign nations. When Mrs. Reagan was brought to his side at the hospital, he tried to deflate the tension in the room by saying to her, “Honey, I forgot to duck.” His surgeons got a taste of his humor as well. Just before they anesthetized him, he quipped, “Please tell me you’re Republicans.”
While at Tempelhof U.S. Air Base in West Berlin, Germany in 1987, President Reagan was speaking to the crowd as the city celebrated their 750th anniversary. During his speech, a balloon popped. Without missing a beat, Reagan said, “Missed me.” It was a classic moment.
As for Hinckley, he was arrested and charged with the attempted assassination. When his case when to trial, he was found “not guilty by reason of insanity.” It was determined that he had narcissistic personality disorder and a pathological obsession with the 1976 movie Taxi Driver starring Jodie Foster. Only July 27, 2016, Hinckley was released from the mental hospital
and deemed to be no longer a threat to himself or society.
This wasn’t a politically motivated assassination attempt. However, history records many attempts against the lives of our presidents that were politically motivated. Thankfully, they were thwarted. Which brings me to the point of the devotional.
It’s just a matter of common sense that tells us that there are going to be some leaders we like and others that we dislike. The ones who do not measure up in our estimation should be voted out of office, not assassinated. Succession of office and power should not be accomplished through assassination.
David had an opportunity to assassinate Saul. 1 Samuel 24:1-6 records, “And it came to pass, when Saul was returned from following the Philistines, that it was told him, saying, Behold, David is in the wilderness of Engedi. (2) Then Saul took three thousand chosen men out of all Israel, and went to seek David and his men upon the rocks of the wild goats. (3) And he came to the sheepcotes by the way, where was a cave; and Saul went in to cover his feet: and David and his men remained in the sides of the cave. (4) And the men of David said unto him, Behold the day of which the LORD said unto thee, Behold, I will deliver thine enemy into thine hand, that thou mayest do to him as it shall seem good unto thee. Then David arose, and cut off the skirt of Saul’s robe privily. (5) And it came to pass afterward, that David’s heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul’s skirt. (6) And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD’S anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD.”
David recognized Saul as the anointed authority established by God. Why don’t we view those in authority the same way today? Romans 13:1, 4-5 says, “Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God… (4) For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. (5) Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake.”
The socio-political climate of our nation is anything but desirable. Much is being done and said that is not just wrong, it is sinful. Our response to those with whom we disagree must be carefully weighed in light of God’s Word. And NEVER is an assassination attempt justified.
Just a thought – have you prayed for those leaders with whom you disagree? This was Paul’s instruction to Timothy in 1 Timothy 2:1-4. The best way to fight against the wrong is to turn it over to the Lord and let Him handle it. We don’t fight from a boxer’s stance. We fight from our knees.
p.s. For all the history buffs out there, you might say that Teddy Roosevelt was shot. You are correct. However, he wasn’t president at the time. He had served two terms for the Republican party. In 1912, he was asked to serve again after William Howard Taft had served. Roosevelt lost the Republican primary and decided to run as a third-party candidate with the progressive Bull Moose Party. While preparing to deliver a speech, a would-be assassin shot him. The bullet was stopped by the pages of Roosevelt’s speech that had been folded over and his eye glass case. Technically, he never took a bullet. His notes and glasses did.
1https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/president-reagan-shot
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