Wen Tzu - Verse 10, Part IV

from Verse Ten

Kings and lords are famed for their works, orphans and paupers are not famed for their works; therefore sages refer to themselves as alone and poor, returning to the root. Their works are accomplished without possessiveness, so non-achievement is considered beneficial, while namelessness is considered functional.

~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~

For those of you who have left the embrace of Christianity OR are searching for a bridge between Christianity and philosophical Taoism, this passage from verse 10 should help. Lao Tzu casts the sage in the same light of the Jewish carpenter who had a propensity to hang out with the so-called dregs of his society.

The message is one we should all pay heed to. It's far more difficult -- if not impossible -- for each of us to find our center if our lives are all about seeking power, fortune and fame. Each of these things is a means to satiate an overindulgent ego. Consequently, if you desire to embrace Tao in your life, you should look for and offer assistance to those who occupy the low places (just as water does).

This post is part of a series. For an introduction, go here.