“Contrasting Principles” (Gen.2-3; Matt:4:1-11) [Reflections on Ralph D. Sawyer's Translation of One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies - Battle Tactics of Chinese Warfare #79-80]
These principles are good, they said,
But if by recipe you’re fed,
You’ll find a “Sameness” soon sets in,
So you, in time, no longer win.“Avoid – engage”? Leave road – no way?
Depends on what’s the other’s play;
Just like in football – playbook’s fine
To start – but soon make shifts in line.Lord, as I ponder this, I hear
It’s just like that for us – we hear
A shift in play, a merge or two,
And bingo! It’s a win for There.Affront indeed to evil’s ways –
With satan’s fellows making plays
With flexi-savvy, just like You,
Both smarter than what we would do.It’s still not clear how we fit in –
Perhaps, like Eden – “Here, begin
By bowing down to me, my ways –
The world’s then yours (you piper pay).”Adherent, or embodied ones,
On both sides now, the evil one
Has big agenda of his own
Through seeds of evil he has sown.But in the end we lose with him –
Looks good at first; then we begin
To sense this is a losing scene,
As life shifts into “Mean and mean”.But open is Your offer – new
To us, to come and live with You,
And You in us; do body-life;
Redeemed, restored, above the strife.So Lord, as love’s agenda here
Gets concrete, many “Ways” appear;
Some better than the rest, I’d say,
As You have us engage each day –With parts You’d have us do for You –
Make openings for You to do
Some wonder-working Jubilee,
So others in our world are freed.But this is not a formula,
But rather, interactive – far
Above our thoughts, and dreams, and plans,
Your ways emerge for Kingdom-land.Thanks Lord for this.
navigation