Shrewdness... a step up? a step down?

Been reading "The Singapore Story" by MM Lee (yeah... i know...) and i was struck by his shrewdness.
It's easy for us simple folks to take the moral high ground and berate shrewdness and cunning as being insincere, untruthful, manipulative. It's easier for us simple folks to join the taxi-drivers and coffee-shop talkers in lambasting the GST-hikes, ministerial salary hikes, Integrated Resorts plans (which i do intend to continue denouncing...).
After all, speaking for the underdog, and being sincere, honest and simple have timeless appeal. Our hearts simply long for that because we were created to desire beauty, love and adventure.
But when i read and observe what MM Lee had accomplished, i think shrewdness can actually be quite a profitable trait.
Take for example his battle to stabilize and establish post-colonial Singapore. Yoking with pro-Communists to gain a foothold, then playing against them to gain another rung. Had i been a communist in that era, I would have despised him! It would have been one of those issues that would fire up my belly, one of those issues that i would have loved to speak against, i would have considered his methods low, and his character suspect!
But, assuming communism is bad and capitalism is good (as is the popular assumption today), he's actually quite the hero!

In contrast, my tools have always been the simple ones - love and pure intentions, prayer and earnestness. I truly believe that with every wayward kid, teen, even adult offender, these tools will bring a change.
Hehe... which may appear as foolishness to many, coz every "scolding" i try to give my students end up being a form of "Don't you know i love you? Don't you know you are precious? Come on! Change! You're made of better stuff and made for better stuff!"
It doesn't yield immediate visible behavioural results, but i really believe that's the way to go. And when they repeatedly misbehave? I honestly think the thing to do is to pray harder for them. (But this has resulted in my new AFI. Yikes. It stings a little, but well, I've gotta think about that and pray about that and change my methods if God convicts me.)

Maybe my methods really need some refinement. Is it because I'm too much of an idealist? too simplistic? In comparison i am such a .... bulldozer.

Problem: Delinquent child
Solution: Smother him with love.

Problem: Immoral society
Solution: Surround the people with bible teachings.

Issue: Casino
My argument: Don't argue anymore about economic gains and limiting impact- it simply won't be fruitful and beneficial coz God can't be for it.

Issue: Homosexuality
My argument: Love the homosexual person. As for the act, God says cannot. And that settles it.

Haiz. My lack of shrewdness is apparent. My distaste for strategies and plans is apparent.
Score board for CGs? Welcome-Action Cards??
Shudder...
Managing other people's impression of me? Networking?
Shudder.....

But maybe - just maybe- they can help achieve the goals without desecrating the purity of motives?

Is shrewdness and sincerity mutually exclusive? How much blessing that shrewdness will bring, if coupled with pure love and sincere motives and good intentions!Is that what Jesus meant by being as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves?

Perhaps shrewdness would be to carry that goal in the heart instead of on the lips. Then with the lips and hands, do all that is necessary to attain that goal.
But the goal has got to be from God, and the hands and lips have to be seasoned with love and grace. Otherwise, i'd just be a terrorist or a bigot or a tyrant or something.