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This Is the Way... A Different Kind of King of the Southby Robin WebberThe Middle East is a very tough neighborhood when it comes to nations dealing with nations. There is the continual challenge between Israel and her Arab or Islamic neighbors. There is the geopolitical quagmire of many of these nations sitting on much of the world's known oil reserves. As students of the Bible read through chapter 11 of Daniel, they are aware of an evil "King of the South." Over the years, a number of potential candidates have been prophetically coronated by various preachers as being the "King of the South." Nasser of Egypt, Khadafi of Libya and Hussein of Iraq have all rotated through this process. Let me introduce you to a different kind of "King of the South," Sultan Kaboos bin Said (also transliterated as Qaboos). He rules the kingdom of Oman, which is about as far south as you can go on the Arabian Peninsula. "We started with nothing" Sultan Kaboos' success story comes to life in an article titled "Oman's Arabian Knight" by John Daniszewski in the Los Angeles Times on December 15, 1999. Mr. Daniszewski shares the incredible legacy of a country and ruler that have both come a long way over the past 30 years due to Sultan Kaboos' vision. The story begins, "There once was a boy who was shunned by his wealthy and powerful father. He was sent to a foreign land to be educated. To support himself, he had to join a foreign army. When at last his father sent for him, the young man hurried home full of expectations-only to learn he was to be kept out of sight again." His story of rags to riches is coupled by the story of a kingdom that 30 years ago was more like the Middle Ages. The wooden gates to Muscat, the capital, were closed each night, the country only had three miles of paved road, and there were 12 telephones in the kingdom." Today, Oman's 1.7 million people are a "paragon of development-webbed by thousands of miles of highways, linked to the rest of the globe by Internet and cellular telephones, open to commerce and tourism and currently building one of the world's largest container ports to take advantage of its location." As Mr. Daniszewski so aptly states, "There are few countries in the world that have come so far, so fast, under the rule of one man." History professor Isam Rawas, who was 10 when Sultan Kaboos came to power, recalls, "I remember it was like we were in prison. The country had been hijacked. The Sultan created Oman." He concluded, "We started with nothing." Mr. Rawas' comment led me to the thought of what it will be like at the dawn of the Millennium as the world starts over from less than scratch as all will be in rubble due to humanity's intransigence towards the returning Christ. What lessons on visionary leadership can be tapped into? Proverbs 29:18 states, "Where there is no vision, the people perish" (King James Version). Having the "big picture" in front of you, developing the framework to hold it together, and motivating those you are responsible for is the task which lies before each of us as future "kings and priests" (Revelation 5:10) during the millennial rule of Jesus Christ. The Bible says that the Queen of Sheba ventured north to observe firsthand the wisdom of Solomon. Let's reverse the compass and head south to learn a few practical lessons in wise leadership as demonstrated by the Sultan of Oman, a "different kind of King of the South." The wilderness years Perhaps Sultan Kaboos' empathy for his people comes from his own personal suffering. His father had inherited a penniless feudal kingdom from his own father. European interventionism and technology had pushed the once thriving seafaring people (Sinbad the Sailor is a native hero) to the brink of poverty. The elder Said felt he could best survive by keeping his subjects ignorant and isolated. During his reign there were only three public schools in all of Oman with a total of 900 students. There was only one hospital operated by missionaries. All travel by citizens was on foot or camel due to cars being banned. But this form of isolationism was personally visited upon the younger Said in a unique way. The elder Said agreed to let his only son go to Britain's Sandhurst Military Academy, but gave him no support. Upon graduation, Kaboos was forced to serve in a Scottish regiment stationed in Germany to earn his keep. Later his father recalled him-but instead of getting a public role, he was locked away in a backwater palace in Salalah and for six years was allowed to see almost no one but his mother and a teacher of the Koran. The reason for the father's harsh behavior toward his son remains obscure to this day. Kaboos' experience has been the experience of others, and may even be ours at this moment. Separation or suffering must be understood beyond themselves. Often men of historical stature have been removed from the center of society, in retrospect, seemingly as a form of preparatory molding for future service. At times it has been voluntary, other times enforced. It may have been prodded by divine will or by public indifference. The test of these "wilderness years" has broken some individuals and molded others. Some have come out better people, while others have come out bitter. Interestingly, Joseph and Paul were imprisoned. So were Mandela, Sadat, Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. Both Churchill and Nixon went through their period of being placed on history's shelf only to re-emerge more focused than ever. This test often clears the mind as it is devoid of the whirl and twirl of everyday happenings. Paul wrote some of his most personally candid and meaningful works from prison. Anwar Sadat, no stranger to prison in his earlier revolutionary days, shared some pointed observations regarding his "wilderness experience." "It was then that I drew, almost unconsciously, on the inner strength I had developed in Cell 54 of Cairo Central Prison-a strength, call it a talent or capacity, for change. I found that I faced a highly complex situation, and that I couldn't hope to change it until I had armed myself with the necessary psychological and intellectual capacity. My contemplation of life and human nature in that secluded place had taught me that he who cannot change the very fabric of his thought will never be able to change reality and will never, therefore make any progress" (The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey, p. 317). Sadat would change Middle East history in a grand way. Sultan Kaboos, in his own way in his sphere of influence, faced a "highly complex situation" in what had often been referred to as simply the "Hermit Kingdom." After deposing his father in a bloodless coup in 1970 with the aid of relatives and the nod of the British military, "Kaboos has been upending the old Sultan's dictum that the best way for a traditional monarch to stay in power is to shut out the modern world" (ibid. Daniszewski). How have a ruler and his subjects worked together? "I always try to be honest" Each year, before National Day, the sultan's birthday, Kaboos tours the country with his ministers, camping for a few days in each region and meeting with the people. At each site the people wait until the sultan proceeds out of his compound to their waiting area to meet with them. Kaboos explained that he never permits television to cover these encounters because "if there are cameras, I feel as though I am acting, and I don't like acting at all. I like to be absolutely honest with my people." He said that one key to his success has been leveling with his people, again re-emphasizing, "I always try to be honest." It is interesting that in Oman this approach has been respected by a people who themselves are responding to newfound freedoms in an honest manner. From wearing seat belts, to not smoking in non-smoking areas, to refraining from littering, Omanis are more law-abiding than the citizens of other countries of the region are. This approach of personal communication and collective honesty has fostered an environment in which there is little sectarian division, political intrigue or squabbling with neighbor states. How have these improvements been accomplished? Not by force! "The country has a small police force and an even smaller army, both of which are almost invisible compared with those in other Arab nations." Seemingly, respect engenders respect. Another key to his success has been in the sultan's "penchant for patient, calculated actions." Kaboos said, "When you take a step, you ought to be worrying about the next step." Again and again, it goes back to keeping that big picture in mind. The sultan, an incredibly busy man with so much to do, has a limited amount of time! He is not married and he has no heir apparent. The institutions of values he is striving to put into place must be stronger than any cult of personality. Additionally, Oman's oil resources are estimated to run out in 25 years. A responsibility to future generations What steps is he taking? His proudest accomplishment is the state-run Sultan Kaboos University where he points out with pride that a majority of the students are female. There are plans to charter four more private universities. He recognizes the economy must become diversified and education is the key. The sultan believes "that by teaching people to look after themselves, that you are teaching them the most important thing." He has appointed women to his Consultative Council, to being ambassadors of his country abroad, and as deputy ministers in his government-all basically "firsts" in the Persian Gulf Region. His goal is to transform the Consultative Council into a directly elected full-fledged parliament by next year. Beyond all of this, he has applauded peace efforts with Israel and has openly called for Israel to be fully accepted as a nation of the Middle East. He was the only fellow Arab leader to applaud Sadat's bold 1979 peace initiative with Israel. Kaboos said, "I thought it was very courageous! Somebody had to start it, and he did it. We cannot continue to have conflicts and hostilities for the rest of our lives. We have a responsibility to future generations." Joseph had a dream Genesis 37:5-11 records Joseph's famous dream of being the ruler of his brothers with all of them bowing down to him. The dream itself was a revelation from God. Perhaps we have not fully contemplated the dream was accurate in the sense that not only would Joseph be worthy of respect for who he was, but also for what he did for others. Joseph had a vision that he carried through family abandonment, false accusation and prison. Throughout it all, his comprehension of what God was calling him to do grew deeper. Abandoned, insulted and isolated, Joseph had to come to new realities concerning his dream. He would have to learn to work alongside people and serve others before they could capture his vision-and bow, not on command, but by desire. As Proverbs 29:2 says, "When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when a wicked man rules, the people groan." Sultan Kaboos was offered little, but he had a dream. He had a vision of where he wanted to go and what he would have to let go of to succeed-not only for himself, but also for his people. Instead of a little, he now has a lot-the respect of his subjects. Do you have a dream? Do you comprehend its full ramifications? That it will most likely demand more of you than those around you? Have you seemingly been passed over, shelved or have you felt that opportunity has passed you by? Have you ever felt as if you got a raw deal, while everyone else got the "gravy train"? Well, there is a "different kind of King of the South" who has not encroached on "the glorious Kingdom," but who is taking his backwater "Hermit Kingdom" and is turning it around with a vision of service and inclusion. As Sultan Kaboos wanders out from his temporary compound to meet his subjects in the desert hinterland under the shade of a tree-his life's actions echo the millennial refrain of "this is the way, walk you in it." And he turns and asks us as we follow, "By the way, how's your kingdom coming?" WNP |
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Keywords: Sadat, Anwar Sultan Kaboos hermit kingdom
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