by Did you know that all warfare is based on deception?
Sun Tsu said that 2000 years ago in his writings called The Art of War.
To gain the upper hand over your enemy, you need to deceive him.
For instance, if you’re organized, show yourself to be disorganized.
Or if you have small numbers, show yourself to have large numbers (of soldiers).
I acted deceptively a few years ago with my son.
My oldest boy was a talented mechanic. He was fixing old lawn mowers at 11-12 years old.
One summer, I wanted to get him a job with a local small engine repair shop that I had taken my engines to in the past. The owner was rough around the edges, but he knew his stuff. And I knew Anthony would learn a lot from him.
I stopped into see him one day on my lunch break. When I suggested he hire my son, he said, “I don’t want to babysit anybody.”
Not one to give up easily, I stopped again the next week. I told him that if he hired Anthony for a week, I’d pay his wages. I said that I took my other son to hockey school, so I’d treat it like hockey school. He reluctantly agreed to hire Anthony.
So Anthony went to work the following week, and after the week was up, I stopped picked him up from work for the last time, and he got in the car and told me that he’d been hired on for the summer. I grinned from ear to ear (I knew that would happen).
When I went to settle my bill with the owner he said, “I was billing his time after the second day – just pay me half what we agreed to.”
Anthony never knew I had done that until a couple of years ago, he didn’t know what to say. I told him that I had faith in his abilities, the decision was easy.
Similarly, we are being deceived in our spiritual lives every day. One spiritual power would keep us focused on ourselves, while keeping us from the one thing that can bring peace in our lives – now and after we die.
Our weekly wage has been paid in full, we just need to trust the shop owner enough to learn, so we can be hired on for the summer.
Who do you trust?
