As I take time today to examine the life and teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., I find that his spirit continues to reveal many gifts.
I recently came across his sermon on The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life, given April 9 of 1967. Though I think we are learning to have experiences in more than three dimensions, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s teachings are a basis for a life and a community of peace. The number three has Biblical, linguistic, mathematical and metaphysical significance. For example, Jesus Christ was risen after three days and three nights. His age of death/resurrection is estimated to be 33 years old. In English language, phrases often come in threes such as heaven-human-earth, past-present-future, thought-word-action, mean-median-mode or chocolate, marshmallows and almonds. (Rocky Road ice cream! …mmmm). Three is also a number of luck. And maybe most important to this case, a number of unity.
In Martin Luther King Jr.’s teaching, he postulates that the three dimensions of a complete life are: length (consideration of our own welfare), breadth (consideration of other’s welfare) and height (God’s love).
Simple graphic to illustrate MLK’s Three Dimensions of a Complete Life.
This formula is simple, easy-to-remember and …powerful.
To balance length (our own welfare): love and accept yourself. (In the words of Dr. King, that means EVERYTHING).
A Ford car trying to be a Cadillac is absurd, but if a Ford will accept itself as a Ford, it can do many things that a Cadillac could never do: it can get in parking spaces that a Cadillac can never get in. And in life some of us are Fords and some of us are Cadillacs.
To balance breadth (other’s welfare): participate, reach out, listen and recognize our connections with each other.
To balance height (God’s love): be willing to feel and accept a love from God (or universe, or whatever your belief). Incorporate a faith that includes patience, because learning to live in a world of tremendous joy and unthinkable pain is ever ongoing… and trust – a trust that no matter the outcome, you’ll be okay.
And when you get all three of these together, you can walk and never get weary. You can look up and see the morning stars singing together, and the sons of God shouting for joy. When you get all of these working together in your very life, judgement will roll down like waters, and righteousness like a mighty stream.
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.