Centurions, Mandarins, Servants

Bill Brown ... Xiamen University
Pecking Order or Serving Order

"For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me..." Matthew 8:9

"He who rules by moral force is like the pole star, which remains in place while all the lesser stars do homage to it." Confucius

"...there exists among the Chinese a strong democratic element... elders are chosen by the people, and their authority is potent and generally ultimate...both unpopular officers and offensive acts of government are sometimes criticized and denounced with irresistible logic and overwhelming ridicule." Maclay, 1861

China's Ancient Authoritarian Democracy For 2000 years, Chinese government was a great contradiction, authoritarian and yet, for practical purposes, democratic as well, for the country was governed by mandarins who rememberd that they were not only subject to the Emperor in Beijing but to the people they served as well.

The non-Jew that most impressed Jesus was a Roman centurion in similar circumstances--a man obedient to Rome but also faithful to those below him, as he proved when he personally appealed to Jesus to heal his servant. What impressed Jesus about him was that this Roman, who had authority, recognized that Jesus healed because of his own authority, which was higher than that of Rome. The examples of Roman centurions and Chinese mandarins give valuable insights into leadership.

Leaders Serve The Roman centurion understood that power comes from knowing one's position in a hierarchy, and faithfulness both to those above and those below. He said that he had "soldiers under me. "I tell this one, 'Go,' and he goes; and that one, 'Come,' and he comes. I say to my servant, 'Do this, and he does it.' (Matt. 8:9). But before the centurion spoke of his power over others, he said, "For I myself am a man under authority."

Leaders have Humility. The Roman centurion commanded, but also served. And he recognized Jesus has having a power higher than his own. When Jesus said he'd go to the centurion's house to heal his servant, he replied, "Lord, I do not deserve to have you come under my roof. But just say the word, and my servant will be healed. For I myself am a man under authority, with soldiers under me..." (Matt.8:8,9)

How easily power can turn our heads, but no one is indispensable. Even popes, premiers and presidents have been toppled from their lofty thrones; how much more precarious is our position if we fail to be faithful to those above us and compassionate upon those below us?

Leaders Have Compassion Lixi, our Chinese helper, has been with us over twenty years now, which Chinese friends say is a record! When she'd been with us for several years, she developed a serious illness, and fellow teachers recommended we replace her. I asked them, "How would you feel if the university fired you because you were ill?"

Teacher argued, "But we're teachers, not a common worker!" So much for the notion of classless society! We helped Lixi get good medical care, she recovered, and she's still with us today. We blessed her, but she has blessed us and many others. and when I was gravely ill several years later, others in turn cared for me. [Read about Lixi in "Half the Sky" Note: Xiamen government's Worker's Union now has many programs to help workers in difficulty].

Compassionate Centurion The centurion did not cast out his ill servant but personally sought out Jesus to heal him. The centurion had compassion,but he was also wise. He knew that his own position on the pecking order was secured only by serving those above and caring for those below. Even as Jesus said the branches can do nothing without the vine, so we upon the ladder of life cannot maintain our position without the help of those above and below us.

Life is a Ladder Life is a ladder which we ascend or descend daily. If we help those below and serve those above, we will inevitably ascend, for we will be lifted from above by the powers that need faithful stewards, and pushed up from below by those whom we have proven faithful to. This is a fundamental rule of life. We daily ascend or descend, reaping what we have sown-always moving, for life is movement.

No Clinging There is neither time nor place to cling complacently to one rung. The unfaithful steward tried to cling to security by hiding his money in a hole rather than investing it, and the master took even the little that he had and gave it to others who had proven faithful. Likewise, we must wisely steward both our possessions and our positions. The higher we go, the more we can be given. But should we forget our place, and those above and below, it could be a long fall.

"The Master said about government, Encourage the people to work hard by setting an example yourself." Said of Confucius

Reference
Ancient Chinese Democracy (Maclay, 1861, pp. 86,89)
"...there exists among the Chinese a strong democratic element, which finds expression and scope for action in their municipal regulations. Every ward in China has its elders, its public hall, where the people meet for the transaction of business, and its placards or public manifestoes, in which the popular sentiments are boldly expressed; and both unpopular officers and offensive acts of government are sometimes criticized and denounced with irresistible logic and overwhelming ridicule. These elders are chosen by the people, either by seniority or by the sentiment of the ward, and their authority is potent and generally ultimate in adjudicating the cases brought before them… The government regards them as the patriarchs of the people, and holds them responsible for the acts of the ward in which they reside….Public meetings may be convened in the ward at any time, and notice is usually given by sounding a gong through the streets, or by written placards posted in public places. At these meetings all the people may be present and participate in the proceedings.

Reference
Maclay, Rev. R. S., “Life Among the Chinese: With Characteristic Sketches and incidents of Missionary Operations and Prospects in China,” Carlton & Porter, New York, 1861, pp. 86,89

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