Chapter 13

Accept disgrace willingly.
Accept misfortune as the human condition.

What do you mean by “Accept disgrace willingly”?
Accept being unimportant.
Do not be concerned with loss and gain.
This is called “accepting disgrace willingly.”

What do you mean by “Accept misfortune as the human condition”?
Misfortune comes from having a body.
Without a body, how could there be misfortune?

Surrender yourself humbly; then you can be trusted to care for all things.
Love the world as your own self; then you can truly care for all things.

Another translation ends like this:

See the world as your self.
Have faith in the way things are.
Love the world as your self;
then you can care for all things.

Love your openness here. I sometimes marvel at how we try to solve problems half way around the world when God is calling us to the people next door.

I’m reading the Tao Te Ching right now. Deep wisdom.

J