“The Last Garden” (Ps.11; Mk.11:41; Eccl.9:11; Jn.15:4-5) [Reflections on Ralph D. Sawyer's Translation of One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies - Battle Tactics of Chinese Warfare # 11-12]

100-Ed’s ’bout “Deep resolve”
To reach some goal, get problem solved;
There comes a time when end is seen
Surplus gets chucked when one is keen.

Like gardens in one’s autumn time,
When end of life, or end of line
Is more than just a theory – now,
To age and stage once more we bow.

Resources fade or drop away;
The center shifts to active play
Elsewhere on scene of battle-lines;
Hence war for you becomes refined.

In early days where might made right,
And masses rose to join the fight,
The challenge? Wielding massive force
Now? Stewardship of scarce resource.

When numbers large are on your side,
Stay in the open – swinging wide
Across the field is critical,
So sunshine aids the physical.

When number’s small, prefer the dusk;
Shoot from the shadows if you must;
Tight spaces, hidden from the foe
Assist achieving larger goal.

Confusion is the enemy
When numbers large are plain to see;
So fake confusion, thus induce
The foe to use this as excuse –

To leave the cover of their shade,
Attack confusion – trap is laid
For those who opportunists are,
Who sucker in – too soon, too far.

When few and far between your force,
Use ambush, narrow roads, of course;
Divide and conquer; hit and run;
Entice approach as if it’s fun.

Then move in fast, chaos ignite –
Don’t let them join as one in fight;
How locals on our continent
Took on the settlers’ westward bent.

Lord, what I hear as age and stage
Shift now for me, it’s, “turn the page –
For resource, numbers, have moved on”;
So what remains for me is long –

On strategy and short on strength;
To reach some goal, resolve at length
Some problem, when resource is gone;
Means sing your focused battle song.

Lord, as I flip that back to God,
Whose love for all to most seems odd,
Big projects shift away from age,
But narrow confines help our stage.

“Ambushed by love – from shadows shoot;
Take in and heal; the stalled re-boot;
Melt hearts of steel with coals of love;
Give cups of water from above.

When youth is brash, on open fields,
With numbers great – takes nerves of steel
To fake “Disorder”, “Easy prey”,
To lure “Seduced by satan’s way” –

Into benevolence by storm,
Where, felt too late, approach that’s warm,
Engulfing satan’s ways and means,
With force of love, more felt than seen.

Lord, thanks for this man’s insight keen,
Collected from what he has seen
Of great and small in conflict there –
How “Best” on each side got prepared.

“Be who you are as age and stage
Shift on through life, just turn the page;
Select which insights fit today;
That’s what I do – engage My way.”

Thanks Lord for this.

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