“Focused Love” (Rom12:20;Matt.6:33;13:45) [Reflections on Ralph D. Sawyer's Translation of One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies - Battle Tactics of Chinese Warfare #8]

Ma Long, at end of chariots,
Engaged the foe – not idiots –
But focused energy he had
With wooden box – approach quite mad.

Quite Orthodox the troops themselves,
With crossbow – shootist raising hell
From waste-high weapons in a box
Atop a chariot, which blocked –

Projectiles from surrounding foe;
He’d press on forward – where he’d go
His “Orthodox” gained added boost
From focused force along his route.

A ram which batters down a wall
Takes focused-force to make it fall;
So too with Ma Long – wall of men
Succumbed to focused force again.

Lord, what I’m hearing also goes
For love, support, with focused-blows –
With impact high, small force constrained
Within tight space, breaks through again.

I’m thinking about your “Down-line” plan
Which once spread out across the land –
Constrained, released, quite Orthodox,
Ramped up within its moving box.

The imagery of “Burning coals”
From smelting comes – achieving goals
By heat of love on steely hearts,
Made pliable when love imparts –

It’s focused impact, bellows blown;
A stream of air, effect well known;
Quite Orthodox, in fact, ’till long-
Like-action makes it’s focus strong.

So Lord, as we go out today
As Your armed-forces to the fray,
Help us to focus heat of love
To melt sick ways of push and shove.

Thanks Lord for this.

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