Jesus & Lao Tzu: Finding Order in the Chaos

In life’s turmoil, Lao Tzu says you can find divine creation within. The eternal Christ brings order to chaos and silences your storm.

When darkness hides your faith, and anxiety threatens to swamp your boat, where do you turn for comfort? For those who know God as Tao, sometimes it can be difficult to find faith in your circumstances. While the Tao may sometimes bring reassurance in its seeming impersonal nature, only as the Logos of Love can the Tao truly bring order to chaos.

Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching, Verse 21

J.H. McDonald Translation

The greatest virtue you can have
comes from following only the Tao;
which takes a form that is intangible and evasive.

Even though the Tao is intangible and evasive,
we are able to know it exists.
Intangible and evasive, yet it has a manifestation.
Secluded and dark, yet there is a vitality within it.
Its vitality is very genuine.
Within it we can find order.

Since the beginning of time, the Tao has always existed.
It is beyond existing and not existing.
How do I know where creation comes from?
I look inside myself and see it.

Does the Tao Exist?

Does the Tao exist? It’s a good question—one that people could spend their lifetime trying to figure out, without success. Three times in this verse, Lao Tzu says that the Supreme Essence is intangible and evasive. Once, he calls the Tao secluded and dark. You might say there’s no point in trying to understand it. Yet, Lao swears that we can know it exists and that the greatest virtue comes from following it.

This seems contradictory, like Yin and Yang. But just like the Tao is beyond simple light and dark, projective and receptive, masculine and feminine, hard and soft—so Lao says it is beyond existing. Or, rather, it is beyond knowing whether or not it exists. The Tao simply is—whether you believe in it or not, whether you can prove it or not. The Tao is the vital energy of the universe. We might call the Tao “Christ.”

Tao, Christ, & Logos

The apostle Paul speaks of the Christ Principle this way: “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation, for in him all things in heaven and on earth were created, things visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or powers—all things have been created through him and for him. He himself is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Christ is more than just the divine man, Jesus. Christ is the animating essence of God, the divine aspect that fills, binds, unites, and lovingly preserves all things. Pre-existent before the baby in the manger, this Christ is also called the Logos.

Lao Tzu’s writing reminds the reader of the two creation narratives in the book of Genesis, with a little of John’s Hymn to the Logos thrown in. In the beginning was the chaos, reigning over all things. Then, like a ray of sunlight in the darkness, the Logos began to manifest within the chaos. The Word of God spoke worlds into existence, and from that Word flowed all things. It’s a story that gives hope when life feels messy and meaningless.

Intangible and Evasive

Yet sometimes, despite the flow of Love within all things, the universe still feels disordered. In those moments, even God seems intangible and evasive, secluded and dark. While black and white concepts bring comfort to many who seek certainty, the interplay of those polarities can be as violent as a hurricane. These forces, whirling and tumbling with positive and negative energies, can just as easily be unruly as they can be balancing.

Order in the Chaos

Still, in the midst of the storm, we can find order. We do this by setting our eyes not on the chaos but upon the one who spoke peace to the wind and the waves. In John’s Gospel, the evangelist tells the story of Jesus’ fisherman friends who had no reason to expect trouble when they set out from land. Yet, as they crossed the lake, a howling wind began to blow. Terrified, they called out to Jesus, “Don’t you care that we’re going to drown?” But the One who created the wind and waves felt no fear. He simply spoke “Peace” to their hearts and commanded the elements, “Be still.” When gale-force life threatens to tip your boat, Love speaks both to the elements and to your soul, bringing balance and peace.

Lao Tzu assures the doubting heart that this kind of peace is achievable. In fact, it has always existed. Since the beginning of time, this flow of Love has always been present, holding it together when it seemed things would fall apart. Before the Incarnation, the Christ Principle awoke the universe. This Love-light exploded the atoms and brought the Big Bang. Christ created the first order out of disorder. The energy of Christ continues to give Life to all who rely upon this dynamic flow. Likewise, this power fills even those who disbelieve or doubt.

I Look Inside Myself

“How do I know where creation comes from?” Lao Tzu writes. “I look inside myself and see it.” This is what Jesus the Man did. He looked inside himself and saw Christ. And now the Christ Spirit calls us to follow—to do as Jesus did. The Master invites us to look inside ourselves and see a pinprick of light in the darkness. He is closer to us than our own heartbeats and nearer than our own breath.

Logos surrounds us and fills us with divine balance, bringing order to our chaos. As long as we focus on the wind and the waves, our hearts will fear the disorder. But by listening to the voice who spoke light into the darkness, we can find peace. In fact, we will reach such a state of peace that not only will our hearts be still, but the wind and the waves will surrender as well.

Pray…

Light of the World, sometimes you seem intangible and evasive. Often, it feels like the darkness will overcome my soul and turmoil will triumph. But you are the one who spoke peace to the disciples and stilled the storms that raged. Likewise, you spoke light to the universe when watery chaos dominated the celestial landscape. So, I know I can look within and find Christ present in my soul’s disorder.  In times like this, I don’t need anyone or anything to prove you’re real. I simply need to trust that just as you created the cosmos from yourself, you continue to create yourself in me. Help me to live and breathe this trust. Amen.