62. Small Preponderance
The Lines
Bottom. [6] A modest man, when resources are weak, should
try to make the best of the situation as it presently exists. He should attempt
improvements only as a last resort, when change becomes imperative and there
are no other alternatives. If he tries to alter the situation before he is able
to increase his strength and develop his resources, he is bound to fail. To go
along with things as they have always been done may be quite unsatisfactory,
but to attempt to improve them when conditions are unfavorable will at best
result in a waste of time and accomplish nothing.
2. [6] The modest man does not stand on ceremony. He has a
duty to perform, and if he is unable to do it in a way that reflects highly on
himself, he will do it by whatever more modest means are available to him. At
such times, he is led by duty, responsibility, and necessity, not by pride or a
desire for recognition. This is not the time for him to seek acknowledgment of
his status or recognition of his position. To accomplish his main task is his
primary purpose.
3. [9] A righteous man who has done no wrong often feels
that he has nothing to fear and that no one can touch him. As a result, his
overconfidence leads him to neglect taking ordinary precautions that could save
him from needless harm. He thinks that to take defensive measures would suggest
that maybe he has something to hide, and perhaps he is not as upright as he
tries to project. And so, he moves ahead while ignoring the possibility of
threats to him and his integrity. But there are often dangers perpetrated by
evil men who wish to attack even the most innocent, and to dismiss the
possibility leaves a good man unprepared. To fail to take defensive actions in
the face of such possibilities can leave even the most guiltless man subject to
great difficulties that just a little bit of prevention could have avoided.
4. [9] Sometimes in a very difficult situation, a man can
avoid an unfortunate outcome by doing nothing -- that is, by taking no action
and simply stepping aside. Situations often have a way of healing themselves
without any movement on the part of the person in a weak or potentially
dangerous position. In an extremely dangerous situation, doing nothing at least
assures that the man does not make a mistake. It may be that any positive act
would make the situation worse and bring the man into danger. This does not
mean that he gives up or abandons his cause; on the contrary, he continues
working towards his goal inwardly and privately. He remains ever ready to
accept an improvement of the situation and to receive benefits, but he makes no
outward move in that direction.
5. [6] A man is fully capable of leadership and of helping
the people find a way out of difficult times, but he is unable to do anything
because he is in a weak position where he is alone and without the right kind
of assistance. What he envisions will be of great benefit to the people, but he
cannot accomplish it by himself; the job requires assistants with special
skills. His first step, therefore, is to find helpers who can provide the
needed skills and complete the task. These skilled helpers themselves are
modest men and not well known, but they have proven their abilities by the work
they have done in the past. By identifying these helpers and seeking them out,
a good working team can be assembled, and the great and difficult task can be
accomplished.
Top. [6] In a time when only minor tasks can be
contemplated, if a man is ambitious and seeks to accomplish a great work, and
then refuses to back off regardless of the difficulties, he cannot avoid an
unfortunate outcome. Such a man, who sets his will against all indicators and
refuses to heed the signs of the time, has placed himself in opposition to the
movement of Fate. There is nothing that can save him from a disastrous ending
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