When we find ourselves so overcommitted to things that our health starts being affected, we know that we are out of balance. When we find ourselves frustrated and angry all the time, without any time or space for bible reading and prayer, we know that we are out of balance. When we find ourselves being self-serving without regard for another, we know that we are out of balance.
I tried to address these ideas from a spiritual point of view over the summer in a series of sermons and blog posts called "The Four Transformational Relationships." My main idea was that we ought to seek to live a life of balance. That balance comes only we focus on all four of these relationships, because each contributes something to our spiritual wholeness. The four relationships are first, our relationship with God, then with other believers, "neighbors," and "strangers" (the last two being biblical categories, not how we generally use the term today).
Over the weekend I read a little book by Martin Luther King Jr. titled The Measure of a Man. This little book, through two short essays, represents the foundation of King's thoughts on justice and social equity.
Drawing from the book of Revelation, where the new Jerusalem descends and is equal in length, breadth, and height, King uses an allegory to develop a triad of relationships that correspond to one's life. He argues that to be in true balance, we must have equal regard for the length of our lives, the breadth of our lives, and height of our lives.
By "length," King means the self-interest by which we live by. He does not mean to imply selfishness, but that when we love ourselves properly, we live by an inspired moral vision that transcends ourselves. But this starts with proper self-love.
By "breadth," King means concern for others. This is the basis for his concern for social justice. Without proper love of others, and concern for their well-being, we are out of balance. That "wall" is not equal to the wall of our self-love. We must rise above our own self-interest to be concerned for the concerns of all humanity.
By "height," King refers to our awareness of and love for God. He notes that many stop after the first two and do not find the true balance they need. One's relationship with God is what binds the other two relationships together, fuses them, and provides the true balance, where all three walls are equal.
How do you measure in each of these three areas? How do you need to grow, extending one or more walls to come in line with the others?
I tried to address these ideas from a spiritual point of view over the summer in a series of sermons and blog posts called "The Four Transformational Relationships." My main idea was that we ought to seek to live a life of balance. That balance comes only we focus on all four of these relationships, because each contributes something to our spiritual wholeness. The four relationships are first, our relationship with God, then with other believers, "neighbors," and "strangers" (the last two being biblical categories, not how we generally use the term today).
Over the weekend I read a little book by Martin Luther King Jr. titled The Measure of a Man. This little book, through two short essays, represents the foundation of King's thoughts on justice and social equity.
Drawing from the book of Revelation, where the new Jerusalem descends and is equal in length, breadth, and height, King uses an allegory to develop a triad of relationships that correspond to one's life. He argues that to be in true balance, we must have equal regard for the length of our lives, the breadth of our lives, and height of our lives.
By "length," King means the self-interest by which we live by. He does not mean to imply selfishness, but that when we love ourselves properly, we live by an inspired moral vision that transcends ourselves. But this starts with proper self-love.
By "breadth," King means concern for others. This is the basis for his concern for social justice. Without proper love of others, and concern for their well-being, we are out of balance. That "wall" is not equal to the wall of our self-love. We must rise above our own self-interest to be concerned for the concerns of all humanity.
By "height," King refers to our awareness of and love for God. He notes that many stop after the first two and do not find the true balance they need. One's relationship with God is what binds the other two relationships together, fuses them, and provides the true balance, where all three walls are equal.
How do you measure in each of these three areas? How do you need to grow, extending one or more walls to come in line with the others?
