RESTORE
This chapter from the BFG Handbook (Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching) presents the gospel through a new "Expression" of God’s Love to RESTORE the Truth.
Chapter 69 from the BFG Handbook (Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching) presents the gospel through a new “Expression” of God’s Love to RESTORE people to the Truth.
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Chapter 69: Compassion
There is a military saying: 1
I prefer not to attack but rather to be still
I prefer not to advance an inch but rather to retreat a foot
This is advancing without moving forward 1
Rolling up one’s sleeves without baring one’s arms
Engaging the enemy without confrontation
Fully armed without any weapons
There is no greater disaster than to underestimate the power of an enemy 2
Underestimating the power of my enemy nearly made me lose my treasures
Therefore, when evenly opposing forces meet 1
The victory will go to the compassionate side that yields 3
Be Still and Let God Fight
“There is a military saying:
I prefer not to attack but rather to be still
I prefer not to advance an inch but rather to retreat a foot”
Chapter 69 of the Christian Edition of the Tao Te Ching speaks to the power of compassion, humility, and spiritual wisdom in the face of conflict. It begins with a military saying that encourages stillness over attack and retreat over aggressive advancement. This principle aligns with Exodus 14:13-18, where Moses tells the Israelites to stand firm and trust in the Lord rather than rely on their own strength. Psalm 37:7 reinforces this by urging believers to “be still before the Lord and wait patiently for Him.” In the Christian life, true victory often comes not through force, but through trust in God’s sovereign power.
Notice that the chapter opens with “a military saying.” It uses the language of battle on purpose. Life really does have its fights: at home, at work and inside our own hearts. The chapter does not pretend otherwise. What it changes is the first move. Before any attack, it chooses to “be still.” For a Christian, that stillness is not empty. It is the pause in which we turn to God before we turn on anyone else.
“Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted among the nations; I am exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10NRSVue
Then comes a line that sounds like losing: “I prefer not to advance an inch but rather to retreat a foot.” Jesus lived this. When the crowd wanted to make Him king by force, He withdrew to a mountain by Himself (John 6:15). Before His hour had come, He more than once stepped away from danger. His retreat was never fear. It was obedience to the Father’s timing. Sometimes the holiest move we can make is to step back, cool down and let God go first.
“…we find ourselves immersed in societies of serial consumers who live from day to day, dominated by the hectic pace and bombarded by technology, lacking in the patience needed to engage in the processes that an interior life by its very nature requires.”Pope Francis, Dilexit Nos 9
“…the crossing of the Red Sea, literally the liberation of Israel from the slavery of Egypt, announces the liberation wrought by Baptism…”Catechism 1221
The God who told Israel to stand still at the sea and watch Him save them has also set us free in Baptism. He still fights for His children.
Your phone buzzes with a text that makes your face hot. A coworker copied your boss on an email that makes you look bad. Your teenager slams a door. Everything in you wants to fire back right now. Chapter 69 offers a different first move: “I prefer not to attack but rather to be still.” Put the phone face down. Take a slow breath. Say a quiet prayer. The message will still be there a little later, but you will answer it as a calmer, wiser person.
Try this today: The next time something makes you angry, wait before you respond and pray, “Lord, You fight for me; help me be still.”
Armed Without Weapons
“This is advancing without moving forward
Rolling up one’s sleeves without baring one’s arms
Engaging the enemy without confrontation
Fully armed without any weapons”
The passage describes an approach to battle that does not rely on outward aggression—advancing without moving forward, engaging without confrontation, and being fully armed without weapons. This reflects Christ’s approach to spiritual warfare. As Proverbs 14:16-17 warns, the wise are cautious in conflict, avoiding rash anger and violence. Jesus exemplified this during His ministry, overcoming His enemies not with swords but with truth, love, and self-sacrifice (Matthew 5:43-48). Even in His arrest and crucifixion, He chose not to fight back but to yield, trusting in the Father’s will.
Each of these four lines holds together two things that seem not to fit. “Advancing without moving forward” means growing on the inside even when nothing seems to change on the outside. “Rolling up one’s sleeves without baring one’s arms” means being ready to work and serve without showing off our strength. Both describe a heart that is busy with God, not busy proving itself to everyone else.
“…let everyone be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to anger, for human anger does not produce God’s righteousness.”
James 1:19-20NRSVue
“Engaging the enemy without confrontation” does not mean ignoring evil or hiding the truth. Jesus spoke the truth boldly, but He never needed to humiliate anyone to do it. He went toward people, even His enemies, with an open hand. “Fully armed without any weapons” describes that same Lord. He had no army and no sword, yet nothing could defeat Him, because He was armed with truth, prayer and love.
“for the weapons of our warfare are not merely human, but they have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments”
2 Corinthians 10:4NRSVue
St. Paul names this armor: the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:14-17). These are the only weapons a Christian needs. They protect us without wounding anyone else, and they work best in a quiet, prayerful heart.
“For this spiritual combat, we can count on the powerful weapons that the Lord has given us: faith-filled prayer, meditation on the word of God, the celebration of Mass, Eucharistic adoration, sacramental Reconciliation, works of charity, community life, missionary outreach.”Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate 162
“…the attitude of Christ towards those who sought to arrest him. His heart is full of bitter sorrow; every violent passion is unleashed against him and all nature is in turmoil, yet amid all this confusion, all these temptations, his heart remains firmly directed to God.”St. Claude de La Colombière, quoted in Pope Francis, Dilexit Nos 128
“Even when we defend our faith and convictions, we are to do so “with meekness”… Our enemies too are to be treated “with meekness”…”Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate 73
In the group chat, someone posts something about your faith that is unfair and a little mocking. You could write a long, sharp reply and win the thread. Or you could do what Chapter 69 describes: “Engaging the enemy without confrontation.” Send a short, kind message. Ask a real question. Offer to talk in person. You still stand for the truth, but you do it like Jesus, with an open hand instead of a clenched fist. That person is not your enemy; the real enemy is the anger that wants to take over.
Try this today: Pick one of the Lord’s “weapons” today, a short prayer, a line of Scripture or a kind act, and use it where you feel most under attack.
Never Underestimate the Enemy
“There is no greater disaster than to underestimate the power of an enemy
Underestimating the power of my enemy nearly made me lose my treasures”
The chapter also warns of the danger of underestimating an enemy, stating that doing so nearly led to the loss of great treasures. This parallels 1 Peter 5:8-9, where believers are urged to remain vigilant against the enemy, Satan, who prowls like a lion seeking to destroy. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us that our true battle is not against flesh and blood but against spiritual forces of evil. Christians must be aware of these forces, relying on God’s strength and wisdom rather than their own instincts.
This warning can surprise readers. A chapter about compassion also says there is “no greater disaster than to underestimate the power of an enemy.” Compassion is not naive. We love every person, but we do not make friends with evil. The enemy here is first of all the devil, and also the sin that hides in our own habits. St. Paul feared that his friends would be led astray quietly, little by little.
“But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.”
2 Corinthians 11:3ESV
Then the chapter speaks personally: underestimating the enemy “nearly made me lose my treasures.” What are our treasures? Our faith, our peace, our marriage, our children, our friendships, our pure heart, our very soul. Few people lose these in one dramatic moment. More often they slip away through small things we were sure we could handle: one more drink, one more click, one more grudge we refused to let go.
“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:21NRSVue
The word “nearly” is full of hope. The treasures were almost lost, but not lost. God rescues those who call on Him, and in Confession He gives back what sin tried to steal. So we stay humble and awake, and we lean on Christ, who has already defeated the enemy.
“In this petition, evil is not an abstraction, but refers to a person, Satan, the Evil One, the angel who opposes God.”Catechism 2851
“…we should not think of the devil as a myth, a representation, a symbol, a figure of speech or an idea. This mistake would lead us to let down our guard, to grow careless and end up more vulnerable.”Pope Francis, Gaudete et Exsultate 161
It started small. A few late-night videos to unwind. A little flirting with a coworker that felt harmless. A habit of checking social media and feeling bitter about what your friends have. None of it seemed dangerous. Chapter 69 knows how this goes: “Underestimating the power of my enemy nearly made me lose my treasures.” Temptation rarely shows up looking like a roaring lion; it shows up looking like nothing. The good news is that it is never too late to wake up, name it and bring it to God.
Try this today: Name one small habit you have been taking too lightly, and ask God, and one trusted friend, to help you guard your treasure.
The Victory of Compassion
“Therefore, when evenly opposing forces meet
The victory will go to the compassionate side that yields”
Ultimately, the chapter concludes with a profound truth: when two opposing forces meet, the victory will go to the side that yields with compassion. This principle is echoed in Isaiah 63:8-9, where God is described as a compassionate Savior who delivers His people through mercy, not brute force. Hebrews 2:17 affirms that Jesus Himself became like us, full of compassion, to save us. The world may see yielding as weakness, but in God’s kingdom, it is the path to true victory.
“When evenly opposing forces meet” describes so many of our fights: two sides, equally stubborn, each sure it is right. In a standoff like that, more force usually makes things worse. The chapter says the side that wins is the one that is compassionate and yields. Yielding here is not giving up the truth. It is giving up the need to crush the other person.
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:21NRSVue
This is the logic of the Cross. Jesus yielded to the Father’s will, and He yielded His life for His enemies. He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). It looked like defeat, yet that love broke the power of sin and death. The One who refused to strike back is the One who rose in victory.
“When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly.”
1 Peter 2:23NRSVue
Compassion means “to suffer with.” Isaiah says that in all His people’s distress, God “too was distressed” (Isaiah 63:9). When we choose compassion, we share in that heart of God. We may lose an argument, but we win back a brother, a sister or a friend, and we win the peace that only God can give.
“Christian triumph is always a cross, yet a cross which is at the same time a victorious banner borne with aggressive tenderness against the assaults of evil.”Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium 85
“…God’s mercy, rather than a sign of weakness, is the mark of his omnipotence.”Pope Francis, Misericordiae Vultus 6
“…perhaps only once did the Lord Jesus refer to his own heart, in his own words. And he stresses this sole feature: ‘gentleness and lowliness’, as if to say that only in this way does he wish to win us to himself.”St. John Paul II, quoted in Pope Francis, Dilexit Nos 202
It is the same fight again. You and your spouse, your sister or your business partner, each dug in, each waiting for the other to apologize first. You both have a point. You are “evenly opposing forces,” and nobody is moving. Chapter 69 says, “The victory will go to the compassionate side that yields.” So be the one who moves first. Say, “I am sorry for my part.” Ask how they are really doing. Yielding does not mean you were wrong about everything. It means you love them more than you love winning.
Try this today: Think of one standoff in your life and make the first gentle move today: an apology, a kind text or a sincere question.
Living the Chapter
The whole chapter, put into practice
This chapter challenges believers to embrace Christlike compassion, to trust in God rather than human strength, and to recognize that the greatest battles are won through faith, humility, and love. Just as Jesus conquered sin and death by laying down His life, we, too, are called to overcome not by fighting harder, but by yielding to the power of God’s mercy and grace.
Chapter 69 gives us a whole way to face conflict. Be still before you act. Step back when pushing would only do harm. Grow quietly and serve without showing off. Stay armed with prayer, truth and love. Take the enemy seriously and guard your treasures. And when two sides meet head-on, be the one who yields in compassion.
None of this is possible by willpower alone. It is the life of Jesus growing in us. Each Mass, each Confession, each Rosary and each small act of mercy makes our hearts a little more like His: gentle and humble, and strong enough to love an enemy.
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Matthew 5:9
“Everything in him speaks of mercy. Nothing in him is devoid of compassion.”Pope Francis, Misericordiae Vultus 8
“In the last petition, “but deliver us from evil,” Christians pray to God with the Church to show forth the victory, already won by Christ, over the “ruler of this world,” Satan, the angel personally opposed to God and to his plan of salvation.”Catechism 2864
Picture an ordinary week lived the Chapter 69 way. On Monday you hold your tongue in a tense meeting and pray instead. On Wednesday you skip the online argument and text a friend who is struggling. On Friday you notice a temptation early and walk away. On Sunday you go to Mass and let Jesus disarm what is left of your anger. Nobody will throw you a parade. But your home is calmer, your heart is lighter, and the people around you see a strength they cannot explain.
Try this today: Tonight, look back on your day and ask: where did I fight, where did I yield, and where did Jesus win?
RENEWAL
The Trinitarian M.A.P. is the method for RENEWAL, where God’s Love shapes our MINDSET, Trust in the Son directs our AIM, and Faith in the Holy Spirit guides our PRACTICE.
This chapter offers a new “Method” for the New Evangelization to RENEW our hearts and minds through the Trinitarian M.A.P. Bring this chapter into your day with the BFG Companion App. Pick Chapter 69 and an area of your life, and get Guidance made for you.
Renewal starts in the mind, and Chapter 69 starts with a surprise. It borrows “a military saying” and then says: “I prefer not to attack but rather to be still.” Most of us are trained for the opposite: answer fast, hit back, never look weak. But the Father who opened the sea told His frightened people, “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still” (Exodus 14:14, NRSVue). Stillness is not giving up. It is trusting that the battle belongs to God, so we no longer have to win every fight in our own strength.
The chapter also gives a sober warning: “There is no greater disaster than to underestimate the power of an enemy.” A mind renewed by the Father is calm, but never careless. It knows that pride, anger and temptation are stronger than they look, and that the real enemy is not the person across the table. St. Paul says, “So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.” (1 Corinthians 10:12, NRSVue). So we think like humble children: we take evil seriously, and we take our Father’s strength more seriously still.
Try this: The next time you feel the urge to fire back, stop and pray, “Father, You fight for me,” and wait before you answer.
Exodus 14:14NRSVue “The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to keep still.”
1 Corinthians 10:12NRSVue “So if you think you are standing, watch out that you do not fall.”
More Scripture: Psalm 46:10 · Isaiah 30:15
A renewed mind needs a target, and Chapter 69 points us to Jesus. It describes a strange way to fight: “Engaging the enemy without confrontation.” That is exactly what Jesus did in the garden. When Peter swung a sword, Jesus said, “Put your sword back in its place” (Matthew 26:52). He did not run from His enemies, and He did not crush them. He faced them with the truth and gave Himself for them. We aim at that same Lord. Our goal is not to beat people but to win them, the way He won us.
The chapter ends with its great promise: “The victory will go to the compassionate side that yields.” On the Cross it looked as if Jesus had lost. Yet His yielding love defeated sin and death. Hebrews says He became like us “in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest” (Hebrews 2:17). So we aim at compassion, not at being right. At home, at work and online, we ask one question before we act: what would the merciful Jesus do here?
Try this: In your next disagreement, aim to understand the other person before you try to be understood, and pray for them by name.
Matthew 26:52NRSVue “Then Jesus said to him, ‘Put your sword back into its place, for all who take the sword will die by the sword.’”
Hebrews 2:17NRSVue “Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.”
More Scripture: Philippians 2:8 · Matthew 5:44-45
Renewal becomes real in daily habits, and the Holy Spirit is the One who trains us. Chapter 69 says: “Rolling up one’s sleeves without baring one’s arms.” We get to work, ready to serve, without flexing or showing off our strength. Proverbs puts it plainly: “Better a patient person than a warrior, one with self-control than one who takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32). So we practice small acts of quiet strength: doing the dishes without a speech, helping a coworker without needing credit, keeping our voice low when we want to shout.
The chapter goes further: “Fully armed without any weapons.” A Christian is never unarmed. St. Paul tells us what to put on each morning: “clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience” (Colossians 3:12). The Holy Spirit dresses us this way when we pray, read His word and receive the sacraments. With that armor on, we can walk into a tense meeting, a family fight or a hard conversation and stay at peace, because our strength is not in our fists but in Him.
Try this: Before you leave home today, pray in your own words: “Holy Spirit, clothe me with compassion, gentleness and patience.”
Proverbs 16:32NRSVue “One who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and one whose temper is controlled than one who captures a city.”
Colossians 3:12NRSVue “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”
More Scripture: Ephesians 6:11 · Proverbs 15:1
In short: think humbly, aim at what is eternal, live by the Spirit. Be still and let the Father fight for you, follow Jesus who wins by compassion, and let the Spirit arm you with love, so you can guard your treasures and yield in mercy.
RESPOND
Renewal brings the transformation of our spirit with ardor, empowering us to RESPOND to the call of holiness and make disciples of all nations. This encourages meaningful dialogue to embrace shared truths that transcend cultural and religious boundaries.
Renewal does not end with us. When God changes a heart, He sends it out, and Chapter 69 shows how to go: not with fists up, but “fully armed without any weapons.” We do not win people by winning arguments. We meet anger with stillness and hostility with compassion, as Jesus did. Go out armed with mercy, because “the victory will go to the compassionate side that yields.”
In 1983, Saint John Paul II called the Church to an evangelization that is “new in its ardor, new in its methods, new in its expression.” The Gospel never changes. The way we carry it must be alive for our time. Chapter 69 shows why: in a culture of comment wars and hot takes, people need fresh words that show a strength that does not need to shout.
Ardor is the fire of a heart that has been loved by God. People feel it before they hear a single word. Chapter 69 speaks of “rolling up one’s sleeves without baring one’s arms.” The fire of the Spirit makes us ready to work hard for the Gospel without needing to flex.
Use the words people use today: simple, honest and personal. Share your story, not a lecture. Chapter 69 says, “Engaging the enemy without confrontation,” so speak the truth in a way that invites people in instead of backing them into a corner.
Meet people where they are: on the phone in their hand. The BFG Handbook and the BFG Companion turn one conversation into a path to Christ and His Church. Chapter 69 calls it “advancing without moving forward.” Our tools work quietly in the background, a reminder, a chapter, a prayer, while God moves hearts forward in His time.
Use the words people use today: simple, honest and personal. Share your story, not a lecture. Chapter 69 says, “Engaging the enemy without confrontation,” so speak the truth in a way that invites people in instead of backing them into a corner.
What my life was like before I really met Jesus.
How He met me, and the moment things began to change.
What is different now, and the hope I carry. Like the chapter’s line “I prefer not to advance an inch but rather to retreat a foot,” when did stepping back or letting go win you more than pushing ever could?
Meet people where they are: on the phone in their hand. The BFG Handbook and the BFG Companion turn one conversation into a path to Christ and His Church. Chapter 69 calls it “advancing without moving forward.” Our tools work quietly in the background, a reminder, a chapter, a prayer, while God moves hearts forward in His time.
Every chapter has its own song and is written in a language people of every faith can understand. A doorway for dialogue. Chapter 69, Compassion, helps anyone stuck in a conflict, tempted to hit back, or worn out from fighting their battles alone.
A friend shares a struggle. Together, pick a chapter and an area of life (start with Chapter 69 when someone is in a fight at home or at work, or feels they must win at any cost). In seconds: a reflection, the M.A.P., a saint, a prayer, Scripture, a song and a church nearby. Send it by email, PDF or a share link.
Hard question? Ask it together. Answers are grounded in Catholic teaching, the saints and the BFG Handbook. Talk or type. Try asking together: “How do I stand up for what is right without becoming harsh?”
Pray the Rosary with a guided voice, the daily mysteries and beads that follow along. Pray it with someone, even over the phone. In the Sorrowful Mysteries we watch Jesus refuse the sword in the garden and yield in love on the Cross, the very victory Chapter 69 describes.
Catholic churches near anyone, with Mass and Confession times, directions, and one tap to add a time to the calendar. Every conversation can end at a church door. In Confession, Jesus, who yielded His life in compassion, meets us with mercy and helps us lay down the grudges we carry.
Morning, midday and evening prayer reminders, a daily streak and a steady prayer rhythm help a new believer keep going. A pause to pray before we react, because the chapter prefers “not to attack but rather to be still.”
Free to start, no card needed. Read aloud in 48 languages.
One tool that walks with a person from the first question to the church door.
Jesus sent His apostles first to Jerusalem, then to Judea and Samaria, then to the ends of the earth (Acts 1:8). Start where you are. Chapter 69 reminds us that the person who tests our patience most may be the very one God is asking us to love with compassion.
- Pray the Rosary together on Pray My Rosary.
- Bless your children at bedtime.
- Share a Guidance with a spouse or child who is struggling.
- Find Sunday Mass times together with Church Finder.
- When an argument starts at home, call a family time-out with the line “I prefer not to attack but rather to be still,” and pray together before talking again.
- Text a verse from your Guidance.
- Ask, “How can I pray for you?” and pray right then.
- Invite a friend to Mass, then go for coffee.
- Send the line: “The victory will go to the compassionate side that yields.”
- Be the calm, kind one.
- Pray on your lunch break with a reminder.
- Start a small chapter group that meets once a week. Begin with Chapter 69, Compassion.
- Respect the rules: invite, never push.
- Listen for the moment: “Things have been hard.”
- Offer: “Can I send you something that helped me?”
- Share the Chapter 69 song.
- Ask good questions and really listen.
- Share your three-part story.
- Open Ask BFG together when a question comes up.
- When a friend is caught in a feud, share “Engaging the enemy without confrontation,” and help them find one kind step toward peace.
- Visit the sick, the elderly and the lonely; pray the Rosary with them.
- Serve at a food bank.
- Welcome newcomers at Mass.
- Join your parish evangelization team.
- Ask shops, cafés and offices to display a BFG card with a QR code.
- Offer a short lunch talk on faith at work.
- Business owners: offer the Companion to staff as a free gift, never a requirement.
- Go where people already gather, and be the friendly one who listens.
- Pray quietly for the people around you.
- When a talk turns real, share a Guidance or the chapter song.
- Wear or carry a simple sign of your faith, like a cross or a rosary, that can start a conversation.
- At a game day, when tempers flare over a bad call, show what Chapter 69 means by staying calm and being the first to shake hands.
- Host a Chapter 69 “Compassion” night, a Handbook chapter night, a Rosary night or an “Ask Anything” faith night.
- Show the Companion on a big screen and let people try it.
- We did this at our free conference, The New Evangelization in the Age of AI, at Christ Cathedral.
- Share a Guidance, a chapter song or a Scripture card. Try: “Fully armed without any weapons”
- One post can reach someone you will never meet.
- Join a parish or diocese mission trip.
- The Companion speaks 48 languages, so you leave behind something that keeps speaking after you go home.
- Every culture knows the cost of war, and Chapter 69’s picture of a strength that yields is a natural bridge to Christ, the Prince of Peace.
- Your parish ministries, the Legion of Mary, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Catholic Charities, prison, hospital and campus ministries, and mission groups.
- Bring the BFG tools to their work.
You will meet resistance. Some people will mock, argue or close the door. Chapter 69 does not send you out to win fights. It sends you out “fully armed without any weapons,” with prayer, truth and mercy. Stay alert to the real enemy and gentle with every person. The same Spirit who renewed you now sends you, to yield in compassion and to trust that the victory is His.
Lord who fights for us while we are still, Holy Spirit, set my heart on fire. Jesus, send me to the one You love. Father, make me Your witness today. Amen.
NRSVue © 2021 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Scripture quotations marked ESV are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language. Used by permission. All rights reserved.