Responsibility not Ownership

I’ve been waiting for a while to write this column. Like the gradual arrival of dawn that allows shapes and figures to come into clear focus, the passing of time tends to give us perspective. And I think I’ve had enough time to now to be clear headed in delivering my thoughts concerning the firing of a particular coach at the end of the most recent college football season. I was absolutely amazed by the comments delivered by this coach when it became apparent that his head was on the proverbial chopping block. His case was curious because he had won oodles of games during his tenure and was concluding another successful season when the uproar began. Most of the hullabaloo started when he blamed a loss on his players’ “fat little girlfriends”. Soon afterwards, he was accused of abusing a player, which led to further accusations. Maybe they were exaggerated, maybe not. But in watching an interview with the coach, it appeared to me that he was claiming he should be able to keep his job simply because his teams exhibited a history of winning. Citing insubordination, his superiors terminated his contract and moved on. This coach is a whole lot smarter than I’ll ever be but I think I know something he doesn’t. A college athletic program doesn’t belong to the coach. No matter how much you win, the program belongs to the university. The coach isn’t the owner- he/she is simply a steward entrusted with the responsibility of the program. That’s where I think success can blind folks to reality at times. And this goes way beyond sports and coaches. It can cause one to overestimate his stature and relative importance in the grand scheme of things. Certainly a leader can make a tremendous difference, but he is never bigger than the entity he represents. If we don’t humble ourselves, life has a way of accomplishing it for us. No matter what status we attain, there is always a greater authority. Golf doesn’t belong to Tiger and basketball doesn’t belong to Michael, despite their legendary dominance. The country doesn’t belong to a president and the church doesn’t belong to the pastor. The country belongs to the people and the church belongs to God. Even a child doesn’t belong to its parents. I have been entrusted with a tremendous responsibility when it comes to my children. But as much as I would like to believe differently at times, my boys are not mine. If I were to abuse them, the state could legally take them away from me. When they turn 18, my country could institute a law that could take them away from me to go and fight and possibly die for their country. But more importantly, my kids belong to God. They are not here to serve my purposes, they are here to serve His. Responsibility, not ownership. The best leaders I have encountered in my life were ones who were humble. They understood their responsibilities while accepting their relative importance in the grand scheme of things. The aforementioned football coach lost sight of where he fit into the big picture. He was the revered leader, but he was not the owner. A lesson anyone in authority should take close notice of.