Spreading the Wealth: My Contemplation of Verse 53 of the Tao Te Ching

Dr. Dyer's book is Change your Thoughts--Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao.


 Today, I am focusing on verse 53 of the Tao Te Ching:

 If I have even just a little sense,

I should walk in the Great Way,

and my only fear would be straying.

The Great Way is very smooth and straight,

and yet the people prefer devious paths.

that is why the court is corrupt,

the fields lie in waste,

the granaries are empty.

Dressing magnificently,

wearing a sharp sword,

stuffing oneself with food and drink,

amassing wealth to the extent of not knowing

what to do with it,

is being like a robber.

I say this pomp at the expense of others

is like the boasting of thieves after a looting.

This is not the Tao.

The straight and narrow path is one I should follow.  What does that mean?  What is my responsibility to others?  Can I bury my head in the sand when there is need on this earth?  Or should I share of my wealth?

This verse challenges me to look past my own wants and needs.  How can I eat my own meals in peace, when there are others who are starving?  How can I spend oodles of money on expensive clothes, purses, and shoes, when my own children have outgrown their pajamas?  How can I ignore the fact that there are homeless people in my own city?

My responsibility is to spread the wealth.  How many people are actually thinking in these terms?  I believe a lot of people down others who want to spread the wealth.  Guess what they are being called?  Socialists, radicals...individuals who want to tax the rich.

The Bible asks us to reach out to our fellow man who is less fortunate than us.  People like to dress that up as un-American, even though our Founding Fathers shaped our nation's laws on biblical principles.  This country has long been known to be a place where you can realize the American dream.  Unfortunately, that dream has become a nightmare to countless individuals who have lost homes, cars, and jobs.  What are we as citizens of the United States to do for each other?

Are we to hog up all the wealth we amass?  Or should we share it with others?  Can we really be that greedy?  Do we dare allow others to call us un-American when we push the idea of everyone deserving healthcare?  Doesn't everyone deserve the dignity to be cared for when in poor health?  

During this holiday season, and as we walk into the new year, may we strive to be more Christ-like.

May we emulate Jesus, when He healed the sick.  May we strive to feed the starving like He did.  May we be merciful when we meet with those who are less fortunate.  Let us not turn them away but instead help them.  After all, aren't we really celebrating the birth of a loving God (clothed in human form), when we deck the halls with boughs of holly, don our gay apparel, decorate the Christmas tree, and exchange presents?

Thanks for reading this entry about the need to spread the wealth.  

I appreciate you taking the time to read it.  

My beloved readers, I'd like for you all to answer the above questions and these: Are you willing to spread the wealth?  Or are you going to hog up your wealth?  Are you willing to help the less fortunate?  Or are you going to insist that you don't need to help others?  Are you going through the motions of celebrating Christmas, without acknowledging why the holiday exists?  

I pray that we all would seek wisdom from the Source of everything--Our Heavenly Father, God.  I pray that we would ask God for His help to experience a deep, loving relationship with Him.

May God bless us all with His wisdom and peace, in Jesus' name.  Amen!

This has been an entry for Wisdom Wednesdays.

I am currently drawing inspiration from Dr. Wayne W. Dyer's book and the 81 verses of the Chinese wisdom book the Tao Te Ching.