Boat in Enemy Nation

Bill Brown ... Xiamen University
Proverbs 3:5, 6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he will make your paths straight." NAS

"Boat in Enemy Nation" (Zhou Zhong Di Guo, 舟中敌国) Ancient Chinese saying

Happy Friday the 13th! Chinese predicted 2008 would be great because it ended in the lucky number "8." What a shock they had--and they fear 2009 will be worse. But our fortune, or lack of it, lies not in luck, or auspicious days and years. Rather, it depends entirely upon how we steward what our Father has entrusted to us--whether we invest our lives wisely or waste them--as illustrated by an ancient Chinese story.

During the Warring States period (475-221 B.C.), young prince Wu Hou went boating with his Generals and other leaders. He pointed to the beautiful lake and the great mountains, and said to General Wu Chi, who had fought long and hard to secure what the prince had simply inherited, "Look at my beautiful kingdom. Deep waters and high mountains are my protection. I need fear no enemy from without." A political General may have taken this in silence, but not Wu Chi.

General Wu Chi was loved by his men because he lived as one of them, and shared their joys and sorrows. He was upright, and honest, and had too much integrity to allow his prince to imperil the kingdom by believing such a lie. He said, "A kingdom's strength lies not not in the lay of the land but the lay of the ruler's heart. Earlier dynasties have fallen because men of ability once in power turned tyrants, and lived lives of pleasure." He then gave a couple of historical examples, and concluded with, "If you, our Prince, do not use moral power to rule, it may not be long before even your subjects on this very boat turn against you and become the enemy."

Enemies in the Boat Wu Chi was a brave man! And ever since, Chinese have used the phrase "Zhou Zhong Di Guo" (Boat in Enemy Country) to show that people are likely to rebel if their leaders to not exercise moral integrity and power--a common theme in China, where through the ages the leaders are expected to obey the "Will of Heaven."

Our Own High Mountains and Deep Waters. A decade ago, who would have anticipated the economic calamities of "lucky" 2008? Like the spoiled princes and tyrants of ancient China and other nations, people and nations reveled in their wealth, and trusted in their high mountains and deep waters rather than their integrity. But apparently the folks holding our national purse strings were not models of integrity, and when they fell, they brought down one nation after another, because on our small planet most of us are in the same boat--though there is an alternative...

High Mountains, Straight Paths On this new day (Friday the 13th!), like Paul I will "forget what is behind and press on towards the prize." (Philippians 3:13). And I will do in the full confidence of Proverbs 3:5,6 which promises that if I put my trust in my Father rather than in myself, or my high mountains and deep waters, that my Father will make my paths straight--right through the high mountains and deep waters that impede the peoples and nations around us.

Enjoy the weekend. I'm off to Fuzhou!

P.S. Click here for the true story of a "Friday the 13th bus trip in China" about a decade ago. It was quite a trip. I hope someday to write about the Saturday the 14th experience as well.
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