I am not generally prone to hero worship. I have seen too many supposedly great men humbled or shamed after falling prey to that impulse. That is not to say that there are not great role models, however, and if there is one modern man whom I admire — even to the point where I might be uncomfortably close to hero worship — it is Ben Sasse.
Opinion
For those who are not acquainted or who may need reminding, Ben Sasse was a U.S. Senator from Nebraska from 2015 to 2023. He was known for being thoughtful, intellectual, guided by faith, very conservative, and very principled and independent. In many ways, he was a poor fit for our political times, but for those same reasons, he is also exactly what we need more of. If we had more public servants like former Sen. Sasse, we would be in a far better place, both as a nation and as people.
Despite having left office several years ago, Sasse is about as visible as he has ever been right now. Unfortunately, it is for a tragic reason. In December of last year, Sasse announced that he had been diagnosed with stage 4 metastasized pancreatic cancer. It is a terminal diagnosis and his doctors estimated that he only had a few months left to live.
Despite his impending death, Sasse has not shrunken from public view. If anything, he has stepped more fully into it. He has given many media interviews and even launched a new podcast — titled “Not Dead Yet” — in which he considers the truly important things in life. What is fascinating about this podcast is what he does not spend much time talking about. Rather than focus on politics or his impending death, he spends most of the time talking with guests about what matters in life. They talk about family, faith, what it means to have a calling, the importance of institutions, and the challenges and opportunities of the future. It is surprisingly, refreshingly vibrant.
It is also a stark reminder about what is truly important. Sasse spent a significant part of his adult life immersed in politics at the highest level. For a time, he was mentioned as a potential president. His time in the public eye now reminds us that politics is not the “be-all, end-all.” What is really important is the topics that he has been talking about as he stares his own mortality in the face.
The point of politics is not power for its own sake. Rather, the point of politics is to help build a society that allows us to live lives focused on the truly important things. Our tax policy matters insofar as it allows our government to do what is necessary to support the meaningful parts of how we live. We need a government that allows us to pursue a calling, support and spend time with families, express our faith, seek joy and engage in self-betterment. All of these require a government that protects freedoms, enforces justice and provides a secure way of life, but those are the means to the end, not the end itself.
The way Sasse is still wrestling with these important questions is particularly inspiring. About a year and a half ago, my family witnessed up close what it was like to be with someone who was facing their mortality. My father-in-law, Scott, also fought a losing battle with cancer and spent his final days in our home. We saw him wrestle with many of the same issues as Sasse, as well as others. We learned about the meaning of parenthood, regret, forgiveness, repentance, love and the simple desire for more time to spend with those who mean the most to you. In those serious moments, we are reminded about the truth that Sasse is trying to show us all — life is about far more than petty politics. Don’t forget to spend your time on the things that matter.
In his song “Elephant,” the singer Jason Isbell also tells the story of a friend dying of a terminal illness. It is usually a messy process and one of his lines captures that sense: “There’s one thing that’s real clear to me: No one dies with dignity.” In the months following Scott’s death, I could see the truth in that line. However, it is not the whole truth. There are some, Sasse included, who seem more ready than most to face that final reckoning. We have a rare opportunity to walk part of that journey alongside him for a while longer. From him, I hope we can all learn something about what it means to truly live.
