III. Essential Three: Leaders know leadership is a calling, not a position (v. 2)

"Obey the king's command, I say, because you took an oath before God."

What is the oath?

Evidently the oath of God was a custom in Solomon's day. It was a custom of loyalty. Some suggest that it was the king’s subjects that took the oath of God; however, most feel that it is a general acceptance of the populace that their king is king (Michael Eaton, Ecclesiastes, p. 118).

What is the significance of the oath?

I believe that the significance of the oath is that leadership is a divine call. Most management books define management as something like this:

Management is acquired trainable skills with all kinds of administrative and technical aspects that when properly served, direct people to the good of the enterprise.

I believe that this misses the essence of leadership, which Solomon is getting at. I believe that Solomon's definition would read something like this:

Management is a calling. Managers use skills with integrity and honesty to create a place.

I like that. Do you sense God's call in your leadership role? This is not some mystical call. This is not some voice in the sky. It is merely the fact that you are leading. If you are a manager, a leader, a teacher, a job foreman, or a student leader, then you are in that position by God's divine call. This applies to camp counselors, youth sponsors, teachers, elders, fathers, mothers, little league coaches, college professors, as well as presidents of corporations or governments. The fact that we are leading, is a call and this ought to have a profound effect on us.

This week I spent a day with my granddaughter Ashley. We built a birdhouse together. It was a special day. As Susie and I had breakfast together before she went to work and I went to spend the day with Ashley, Susie took my hand and said to me, "Remember, today your most important calling is Ashley." I remembered that word all day. And what a wonderful day it was.

I believe that is what Solomon is saying. He was challenging his leaders to remember that their task was a divine calling.

Read more about Tom McKee on his web page: http://www.volunteerpower.com

Instructions 1.read the document leadership series part iii. 2.navigate to the threaded discussion below and respond to the following: a.tom mckee states that "leaders know leadership is a calling, not a position." do you agree with this statement? explain why or why not?

Answer rating: 100% (QA)

The oath is a promise that someone makes to the public It can be used in many situations and for many different purposes but it is most commonly used ... View the full answer