Tao Te Ching Chapter 8: Competition - Taoism of Lao Tzu translated into Biblical Scripture

Nature is God

Water is the most fitting metaphor how God designed forces of nature to serve all the living. Water nourishes every plant and thirsty animal. It assumes the lowest places no matter where it may be. This is the characteristics of God. John 1:14, ¹⁴The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. John 3:16-17, ¹⁷For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Jesus rained down from Heaven to bring hope and salvation to all who repent and believe he is the Son of God, our savior. John 14:11, ¹¹Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. He takes the lowest places where the poor and sick settled. Water moves accordingly to nature. Nature is God and Jesus moves accordingly to the forces of Nature, nourishing all the living at the lowest places where people disdain.

Thus, in dwelling, the word from above became flesh among us. Like the deep body of water, his love has great depth beyond our understanding. When giving, it is for all, raining with great kindness without contention. Jesus reassembles the characters of water, reflecting it’s surrounding without hiding or changing anything. When Jesus speaks, his words are transparent, not hidden but are the reflections of his righteousness. He speaks with the sense of honesty so people come to trust him. Jesus ruling is impartial, nourishing everything in its path like the four headwaters moving along the lowest point of the world. When Jesus is working, he does whatever you ask in his name; like water conforming to the shape of any container to do its work. Changing, adapting, and moving to your constant needs or new challenges. Jesus fulfills his promise accordingly to the Word of his Father at the appropriate time. Everything God planned has already been finished and the Promise of God is set for us. His timing is like water moving in accordance with Nature. Whether it takes the form of rain, snow, or hail, water follows the timing of natural events. Jesus came to serve and not compete for wealth, power, or honor. With the measure you use, it will be measured to you and even more without expectation or return.

The Apostles learned not to compete among each other and shared their wealth. Those with money and possessions distributed their wealth to provide for the sick and poor. They learn not to compete among each other to fulfill God’s purpose. Acts 4:32-37, ³²All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. ³³With great power the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much grace was upon them all. ³⁴There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales ³⁵and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. ³⁶Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus, whom the apostles called Barnabas (which means Son of Encouragement), ³⁷sold a field he owned and brought the money and put it at the apostles’ feet.

On the other hand, destructive competition seeks to benefit an individual/group/organism by damaging or eliminating competing individuals, groups, and/or organisms. It is a “winner take all” attitude where the success of one group is dependent on the failure of the other. This tends to promote fear, a “strike-first” mentality, which is common in our economy today. We can identify this behavior in the stock market where multi-billion dollar companies compete for survival by monopoly. Competition is not only expensive but can be damaging, as is the case with political elections, international sports, and advertising wars. It can lead to the compromising of ethical standards in order to gain an advantage. For example, athletes who use banned steroids in professional sports to boost their own chances of success. This is harmful for athletes who injure themselves when pushing their body past its natural limits.

Though we can have a Co-operative competition promoting a mutual survival where everyone wins, our competitiveness to get less and benefit the whole can be difficult. We don’t need a $100 million to live happily and giving away $99 million of your competitive winnings won’t be easy if we had to share the wealth so everyone wins. Matthew 19:21-23, ²¹Jesus answered, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” ²²When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. ²³Then Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

How does the evolutionary theory contradict Creation? Many evolutionary biologists view inter-species and intra-species competition as the driving force of adaptation, survival of the fittest. This evolutionary idea does not create life but results in death. A competition where the strongest and most adapted survives and the weak, less adapted dies. Is this how we really want to view our humanity? Jesus came here to be with the poor and sick. God is about the Creation of Life. Creation and Evolution are both scary outcomes. If you believe in a Creator, one day you will be judged according to your sins. If you believe in Evolution, than who is watching over us? The earth will move sporadically in space at approximately 66,000 mph, adaptation of the fittest will result in death due to war, and life on earth will end after death. There will be nothing to look forward too. Do we really want to compete like wild animals to survive by taking another life?