Wen Tzu - Verse 74, Part V

from Verse Seventy-Four

Therefore if you practice that virtue, then your subordinates will follow orders. If you practice that humaneness, then your subordinates will not be contentious. If you practice that justice, then your subordinates will be fair and upright. If you practice that courtesy, then your subordinates will honor and respect you. When these four things are practiced, the country is secure and peaceful.

~ Wen-tzu: Understanding the Mysteries ~

For some, it might be easy to dismiss Lao Tzu's message because his audience -- when these words were written -- entailed feudal lords. His country was in the throes of violent upheaval as different armies jockeyed for position to claim wide swaths of territory and the blood of the citizenry flowed like a river of red.

However, when we view it through the lens that each of us plays the role of superior and subordinate, the target for his words and thoughts are aimed square at us. If each person embraced the concepts of virtue, humaneness, justice and courtesy, every person, family, community and nation would be secure and peaceful.

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