“Of Culture And Spirits” [Reflections on Ralph D. Sawyer's Translation of One Hundred Unorthodox Strategies - Battle Tactics of Chinese Warfare #85-86]

A culture has its practices in which embedded are
Their ways of handling right and wrong, defined both near and far,
In ways which to outsiders seem quite weird and wonderful,
And to insiders shift and change, which all seems rather dull.

For generations Chinese folks had ways to set things straight –
When things got really out of hand they would not hesitate
To step into their neighbors’ land and bash them on the head,
Say, “You cannot behave that way – as leaders, you are dead.”

I know that Europe was that way (we’d tut-tut over them);
But in the larger scope of life it seems both now and then,
We all are struggling to set right the gross abuse of power,
Which all participate in now as in the ancient hours.

Then too, “The spirits”, “Spiritual dimension” all would say
Are part and parcel of our lives from past up to today;
These “Puzzling” are; “Coincidence”; “Interpretations play
Their roles as folks manipulate both man and God today”.

“God’s on our side”, we’d like to claim as we head off to war,
Manipulating Scripture texts (that’s what we think they’re for);
Our rituals (when “Done up right”) pull levers from on high,
To rain down blessings on our troops, that foes (not us) might die.

Some say they’d like to keep that around to “Weaponize the gods”;
Some like it ’cause it boosts the c’hi enhancing winner’s odds;
Some like it to manipulate the gullible and scared;
Some say it’s bunk, and scorn it, saying, “Winner’s best prepared”.

Lord, as I flip these factors ’round, take Eden’s view instead,
Ask, “What in this is twisted form of food by which we’re fed
By You then, Holy Spirit, Scripture, and experience?
I’d say that war is evil, let’s give life a second chance.

Take “Kingdom-layer” as place to stand above chaotic mess –
The center of the pinwheel, stillness in excessive stress;
The Kingdom has a King (that’s Christ), whose mandate is quite clear –
It’s smashing evil in our day, and freeing us from fear.

Then He invites us to partake in mission He’s about –
To be His body – “This and that” addressing; making route
For him to rescue other folks with Jubilee’s ka-boom;
Destroying evil (that’s His task) to give us living room.

So all our deeds of kindness done as He directs our way
Affronts to evil are in fact, rebuking satan’s sway;
The problem Christianity has in our day and age,
Is it’s not tried by one and all, we’re on a different page.

Since we left Eden, on our own, we’ve messed up earthly life;
But God did not give up on us, for us Christ gave His life;
Lord, as we grow in knowledge of the way of life You wish
We’d come back to, I thank You for the way You work on this.

When we stop wanting to be one whose last one to survive;
When we engage in Kingdom-life as place to grow and thrive;
When we place selves at Your disposal, asking that we be
Your body parts, as You work on Your task, I pray that we –

Might be a part of this big picture Paul puts into words,
Which I’d not seen, I’d been confused by “Spirit” stuff I’d heard;
Instead of hocus-pocus stuff, it’s come full circle ’round,
And so in little deeds of kindness, care, and love are found –

Big picture implications as You’re able to fulfill
Your mandate (smashing evil) using acts we do, yet still –
We have the option to engage, or turn the other way –
Just like at Eden – choice is ours – Your freedom’s here to stay.

Lord, keep me in Your life today; reside in me as well;
Help me to stay on Kingdom-layer above this present hell;
Help me to do the “This and that” You bid to me do each day;
Then let it go for You to use, expanding Kingdom’s sway.

Thanks Lord for this.

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