“Exploit Or Retreat” [Reflections on Ralph D. Sawyer's Translation of One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies - Battle Tactics of Chinese Warfare #59-60]
Exploiting serendipity;
Retreating when defeat you see –
Both have a place says “Ed” in tome,
When flipped to Christ within this poem –First, that is what both generals
Attempt to do – so parallels
Exist both ways, for both are smart
As they, on venture, warfare start.So it is best we hold the line –
Abide in Christ, and ’bide our time
Until clear signal from The Boss,
Lest “Stay” or “Go” results in loss.Lord, once again life meets the tome
In close encounters near our home –
Your body-life, in church’s style,
Remained covert in content, style.Until the lid came off the can
With humor – where some others ran
Afoul of “Fringe” the Baptists have,
Which crossed the line to get a laugh.I had not seen what fringe was theirs;
But now I do – it’s many layered
No doubt, except the truth I see –
A weakness where they’ll be set free.For when advancing on this foe,
It’s not the folks (you’d think it so),
But evil in the attitude,
Suppressed, no doubt, with gratitude.Now I see why they’re so repressed –
There’s aspects which are not addressed,
And that’s the target – forward-back
In You, O Christ, we nothing lack –But on our own it’s not so cool –
In that we’d be a certain fool
To go ahead, or pull ’er back;
Now I’ve big picture – fiction, fact.Thanks Lord for headings of the scene;
Help us to stay alert and keen;
New guy? He’s sacrificial Lamb –
Pure, spotless, dead as Isaac’s ram.Lord, this may be cathartic scene,
Ground-up by city-scape that’s mean;
Well, help us all hold firm in You;
Advance – retreat as You might choose.Thanks Lord for this.
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