Verse 3

"Putting a value on status will create contentiousness.

If you overvalue possessions, people begin to steal.

By not displaying what is desirable,

you will cause the people's hearts to remain undisturbed.

The sage governs by emptying minds and hearts,

by weakening ambitions and strengthening bones.

Practice not doing......

When action is pure and selfless,

everything settles into it's own perfect place."

It has always amazed me how the value of things in this world can go from nearly zero, to a value of tens, hundreds, or even thousands of dollars in anything from a few minutes to a few years, and then end up back at little or no value again in a matter of time. In some cases it may even go through this cycle a number of times. Antiques are a perfect example. I have a friend that is, depending on the time, either sitting on a goldmine of valuables, or a pile of scrap. Society does a wonderful job of "telling" us what has value and what does not. If we all decided to stop driving cars tomorrow and start using bicycles for our transportation needs what would the impact be on the oil industry? 

 The truth of the matter ends up being that we hold the power to change the value of things. One person alone is but a drop in the ocean, but what is the ocean but a collection of single drops.

 With that having now been brought to an understanding, we can turn to this verse with a bit more clarity. Lao-tzu obviously understood the concept of creating want and greed through the valuation of possessions. Want and greed then produce jealousy, hatred and strife. Surely in his time it was just as beneficial to those in power or those who craved power as it is in today's society. But when values are non existent, there is no want, jealousy or greed. There is only the understanding that we have or acquire only that which we need at the exact time that we need it. Perhaps a book I was offered was of no foreseeable value in my eyes a year ago so being unenlightened I declined the offer. A year later I end up having to purchase the book for twenty dollars. After reading the book I donate it to a library. What was the true value of that book to me, the store, the person who did the offering, the library? Depending on the time, very much or very little. So in essence, value is as fluid as the rest of the universe. All things range from absolute value to no value all the time. And because of this can only be valued at a constant of zero on the physical plane. 

 Once we live by the understanding that there is no "need" for anything as everything essential to us will be provided, we can live a happier, more peaceful life. This understanding will automatically dissolve the competitive attitude that society teaches us to get ahead, get more, get even, and so on. By clearing our minds of these things it leaves us open to enlightenment. It opens up a direct, uninhibited channel to the Source. Or God if you prefer. 

 I ask you to consider the timeless analogy of the cup which is already full. It has no room for more and so anything introduced to it simply spills out rendering it useless. Become an empty cup. Clear yourself of all that you have been taught in this world. The emptier you are, the more room there will be for new knowledge. But remember, as the tea in the cup is poured in to be consumed and thus emptied, so too is the mind to be continuously "filled and emptied". All of creation is in a constant state of change, so too must we. If we wish to follow our divine path. So yes, the old adage "the only constant in life is change" seems to hold true even in this aspect.

 In closing, perhaps the most important statement of this verse appears to be kept for last, "practice not doing". Simple yet profound. It then elaborates to say that once we become empty, silent and open to the Truth (God), we will act out a perfect plan according to divine guidance, not driven by want and greed but love and peace, it is mutually beneficial to ourselves, the world and all others that we touch, it warms our souls, aligns us with God and makes our existence a perfect part of the Masters plan.

What could sound more motivating than that!?