“Realities Of War” [Reflections on Sun Tsu's Art Of War #11 – Title] (Genesis 2 and 3; James 4:1ff; 2:6; Romans 12:21; Matthew 5:43-48; 18:7; 23:23ff; chapter 5 and six; Luke 10:25ff)
This chapter takes the scene we’re in
Just to the door, when war begins;
It’s practical, last planning steps;
As far as forethought ever gets.But in these plans the smell of war
Is stronger now, not as before;
Here, plans for men amidst terrain
Are pondered well, in face of pain.For war, as Sun Tsu said at first,
Is terrible – of man, the worst;
Some day Christ says all this will end;
But in the meantime – Kings will send –Their young to die most needlessly,
And in their path civilians flee,
’Till all this settles down once more;
’Till someone else begins a war.Lord, Sun Tsu, as a comment on
Paul’s tome, in which his view is found
Of You defeating evil, now,
And in the future – and allow –Us to participate – Your way –
By overcoming hate each day,
As You direct us to pour out
God’s love to all who mill about.Lord in this chapter he spells out
The front-line picture – has no doubt
That this is how the “Art of War”
Plays out – and yet Paul’s added more –For Paul would claim man stole Your ways,
And twisted them to power plays
To use against one’s neighbors, kin,
Until his greed’s assuaged, for sin –(Rebellion, that is, from our God)
We’ve all bought into on this sod;
So money, power, we need to “play
God’s role” as we live out each day.The choice was ours, and with it pain;
We took the apples, twisted game
Of life to serve our selfish goals –
And wonder how life’s full of holes.Lord thanks for Sun Tsu’s chapter ’leven,
And concepts in our thought like leaven
Enlivening each quiet verse;
Transforming now the best from worst.Thanks Lord for this.
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