“With No Fear Or Favor” [Sun Tzu series 10 – 5B]

Pomposity just has no place,
Nor glory-seeking – in this case
Advancing just to gain some fame,
Be welcomed home to great acclaim –

Yet costing needless lives, whose loss
Is way beyond a medal’s cost,
Is no way to be General,
For glory is ephemeral.

That goes for pulling back as well –
Refusing to, from in that hell,
To gain some adulation’s nuts,
Not demonstration of your guts.

Retreating when advisable,
Especially ’gainst a rulers will,
Is good – if done to save some lives,
When victory will not revive.

To pull back can be costly to
A General, who’s seen as fool,
A coward, or a scaredy-cat –
Retreat he must, despite all that –

If he would save the lives of men,
Advance the ruler’s interests – then
It is okay despite result;
Good thing He knows what He’s about.

Act “With no fear or favor” part,
Is what we all face from the start
Of life in workplace, family,
Or on the battlefield with Thee.

Lord all this starts to make some sense –
As Paul has stated, Christ’s offence
Against all evil there may be,
Is mainline Christianity.

I’m hearing, “Wisdom at the top”
Of force we’re in – to go or stop
Is not based on the frivolous,
But rather, on His care for us.

We’ve lots of time to evil beat;
We do our part, each challenge meet,
But then we move on out of here –
Advance – retreat without a fear.

Lord, thanks for this assuring word
Of care for us; tasks not absurd,
But meaningful in cosmic terms;
How much of life we’ve still to learn!

Thanks Lord for this.

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