“For Goose And Gander” [Reflections on Ralph D. Sawyer's Translation of One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies - Battle Tactics of Chinese Warfare # 33-34]

What’s good for one and also for
The other, in some larger war,
“Contentious” is – so if there first,
Take up positions, but, reversed –

Back off, and use some other way
To win your battle, seize the day;
If you have some advantage, keep
It, don’t some other asset seek.

Lord, I am hearing once again
How we can throw advantage plain,
In search of better than we’ve got,
Instead of thinking, once we’re stopped.

We toss away advantage clear,
Not seen for what it is, as near –
For grace is greener over there;
We scamper off, as we compare –

Incessantly what might be “Best”,
Thus dissipate our inner zest;
“A thousand ways to skin a cat”,
Is better way to think of that.

It’s like in cards – you’re dealt some hand;
“Advantage”, you must understand,
Is in the mix of man, terrain,
And dance with others with the same.

So, Lord, I’m hearing best we ’bide
In You, for waiting at Your side,
You know all this, take long-term view;
And in the end good wins with You.

To me, the best part of all this
Was seeing larger scene – Your “Kiss”
Quite impotent through me because
I had no clue who satan was.

Advantages just thrown away;
Contentious ground, where I would play
As feisty type who loved a scrap –
Lost everything because of that.

But now I’ve heard of Kingdom-layer,
Where we abide; through Scripture, prayer,
Activity, You counsel us
To ’bide in You – back off just fuss –

As focus of our being now;
It’s part of life, that You allow;
But always rising to some scrap
Is not the wisest, for all that.

Naïve I’ve been beyond all words,
And even now, I’ve barely heard
The surface truth of larger scene,
And where man lives – here, in between –

Contentious warring foes like You
Engaging evil, as You do;
All that’s dismissed by liberal folks
From whence I’ve come – as clergy bloke.

So, Lord, thanks for these insights clear,
Like these two passages right here –
It’s more than “Counting blessings” way –
It’s steward them in what I say –

Direct, and mediated here;
My place in larger scene made clear –
“Deliver words in pictured form
From Me to those caught in the storm”.

Thanks Lord, for this emerging thought;
For walking me to where I ought
To be now, as my vision clears –
The stewardship of the near and dear.

Thanks Lord for this.

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