Our two-year-old dog, Lux, continues to expand his vocabulary. Most recently, he has learned to respond positively to the word “chicken.” The first time we slipped him a piece of chicken from a meal and called it “chicken,” he devoured it from his little bowl and returned for more, but there was no apparent proof that there was a connection in his mind between the word and the substance. In a subsequent meal, we asked, “Do you want chicken? He responded with a curious bent neck and raised ear but clearly had not fully made a meaningful association. Then, at a subsequent meal’s offering of chicken, when asked, “Do you want chicken?” he associated the word with the thing itself and now connects the two. In his little brain, Lux worked through the process of Event – Hypothesis – Confirmation. His enlightenment came in a pattern of three. Now while I sit on the couch, I can ask the pup if he wants chicken and he will lead me to the refrigerator, his tail wagging enthusiastically. The third time was a charm.
Things do come in threes. This is true in Christian theology where presentations of three are abundant: the three Persons of the Trinity; the Hebrew Bible of Torah, Prophets and Writings; three main patriarchs; three synoptic Gospels; three years of Jesus’ ministry; the disciples fall asleep three times while Jesus prays; Peter denies Jesus three times; the sky is darkened between the sixth and ninth hour while Jesus hangs on the cross; three crosses; three days in the grave; the bread is blessed, broken and given. You cannot journey through the Bible without stepping on threes.
Why do we have a tendency to process the world in threes? While other animals (like Lux) may have only an inchoate ability to think in threes, Scot Morris, in a short and fun article in Skeptic Magazine, says that the number three may indeed be “a unique sign of our humanity.” Morris says we see threes all around us, in three-dimensional space, the three primary colors in light, and the triadic designations in nature, such as solid, liquid, gas or protons, neutrons, electrons. The major laws of the universe (Newton’s Laws of Motion and Maxwell’s Laws of Thermodynamics) come in threes. Even our nursery rhymes highlight threes, from Goldilocks and three bears to three blind mice. In popular culture, there are the three musketeers, the three stooges, Tom, Dick and Harry, the good, the bad and the ugly. We invoke significant phrases of three: Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness; blood, sweat and tears; Gold, silver and bronze.
Morris suggests that our brains are wired to pay attention to things and confirm realities that appear in threes. A single event stands alone. A second, related event may suggest a pattern, but, even then, the first and second events may only be a coincidence. However, a third event alerts us that the pattern is not to be ignored and may confirm our suspicion of a pattern or truth. He offers this example:
BAMl —”What was that?”
BAM! … BAM! —”Is the wind making a tree branch hit the roof?”
BAM! .BAM!.. .BAM! —”Oh. Someone’s at the door.”
Our brains appear to be hard-wired to recognize and react to event patterns of threes, but the significance of threes goes deeper than neural circuitry. Philosophers over the years have observed that threeness is the fundamental way in which the Unity of God manifests in the world. Ralph Waldo Emerson contended that the eternal Unity manifests in the world in threes. In his essay, The Poet, Emerson wrote:
For the Universe has three children, born at one time, which reappear, under different names, in every system of thought, whether they be called cause, operation, and effect; or, more poetically, Jove, Pluto, Neptune; or, theologically, the Father, the Spirit, and the Son; but which we will call here, the Knower, the Doer, and the Sayer. These stand respectively for the love of truth, for the love of good, and for the love of beauty. These three are equal.
Similarly, Thomas Aquinas described the Trinity in terms of relationships. The Father, Son and Spirit are distinct persons but are in relationship with one another, just as they are equal to one another. Truth, the good and beauty are in full relationship.
Truth, good and beauty cohabitate. A painting that demonstrates beauty will also exhibit truth and the good. A person of good moral character will be an authentic and beautiful soul. An idea that is true will manifest as nobility and speak beautifully into the world.
On the contrary, if my tendency is to be dishonest, I will appear bad and ugly to my colleagues. If I am of low moral character, my ideas will be polluted and my legacy an unpleasant existence. A liar produces nothing good and operates in a foul manner. Likewise, a person who speaks without grace and beauty on his lips reveals the lack of truth and moral goodness in his heart.
We should make it a practice to ask ourselves if we reflect the dynamic relationship of truth, goodness and beauty in our thoughts, words and deeds. Learn to see and discern in terms of truth, goodness and beauty. If an idea, proclamation or action reflects all three it will taste good and keep you and others coming back for more.
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