The Most Important Life Principle
Be Known, Know, Make Known (Things That Matter #24)
I’ve spent a while now sharing main principles I live by.1 These are things that matter. If you’ve been following, you’ll likely know that part of the reason for doing this is my daughter will soon turn 18. She will soon begin college. She will soon venture out into the wild of young adulthood. I want her to give her something of a map that’ll guide her. That’s what these principles are. I also write her a letter each year for her birthday and so, this year I hope to give these principles to her in the form of a nice little book.
And if there’s one principle that stands above the rest, one truth that quietly anchors all the principles I’ve shared, it’s this: The Triune God Above All. Or, stated slightly differently: know the Triune God and make him known. Not just any god. Not the good-vibes-and-positive-energy god. Not a god who invites you to manifest and create your destiny. Not a god you invent because he never corrects you or your morality. Not a god that looks like your political party with better lighting.
I’m talking about the Triune God: Father, Son, Spirit. The holy community that’s part of an ongoing, never-ending divine dance that never stops and nobody steps on anybody’s toes. And somehow, quite unbelievably, we’re invited into the dance. This God, the Triune God, is above everyone and everything. This God, the mysterious 3-in-1, is above all.
You might wonder why I saved this principle for last. I mean, shouldn’t the most important thing come first? Sure. That makes sense, too. But I went the dad route here. I did what every dad does when eating a great meal: I saved the best bite for last. You know what I’m talking about, right? That last forkful at Thanksgiving that’s got the right combo of turkey, gravy, mashed potatoes, and buttered roll in it. The best!
Also, this is the climactic point. This, then, is the principle that doesn’t merely wrap it all up; instead, it reinterprets everything that came before it. As such, you are now invited to go back and re-read all the preceding principles with this one in mind. This is like the secret chord that David played, the one that made all the other notes make sense, the fourths, fifths, minor falls, and major lifts. This is like the punchline you didn’t know the setup had been leading you to all along.
Okay. Enough analogies about that. So, why is this the most significant? Because it starts with being known by God, knowing him, then making him known. God, at his core, is relational. He always has been, always is, and always will be. That’s his nature. It’s his character. Father, Son, and Spirit didn’t start hanging out once humans were created. They’ve always been there, loving each other, glorifying each other, never interrupting each other’s stories to say, “Actually, that’s not how it happened.” We are made in God’s image and likeness and these Holy 3, they model what we’re supposed to be: a people who are holy, joyful, bound together in love and loyalty. Basically the opposite of everyone in the family group text.
This isn’t just something theoretical, some boring theology. It’s practical. In fact, it’s cosmic comedy, really. The divine perichoresis, which means essentially “dance around” in Latin, denotes a holy hoedown, a circle dance we’ve been asked to step into. And if you’ve ever seen me try to dance, uhh… you know lots of grace is required. Lots of laughter, too. It’s like the Trinity looked at my clumsy little life and said, “Aww. Let’s let him in anyway.”
I also think this principle really does invite us to re-think the other ones I’ve talked about. For instance, bridge-burning isn’t always bad, especially if the bridge leads back to a version of you that never wanted to know God or to a version of you that causes you to step out of who you are in Christ to be someone else. Sometimes you have to set the bridge on fire so you don’t wander back there in a moment of lust or desperation.
Dealing with criticism? Jesus was falsely accused and still prayed for his enemies. That goes against nearly every fiber of my being. But it’s the example I need! Loyalty is everything? The Spirit never ghosts you unless you bid him to do so. Don’t let the sun set on problems? That’s from the same God who painted the sky with sunsets and mercy every evening in such a way that it’s healing and helps us remember how fragile and beautiful life is. How brutiful it is.
Not lusting after victimhood? The cross is where the only true victim died voluntarily, not for clout, but for love. Advocate for yourself? Jesus did that in prayer and in action, but always surrendered it to the will of the Father. Revenge is impossible? Well, it is if you believe in resurrection. What do you say to the guy you were trying to destroy when he shows up alive three days later and forgives you? Laughter is greater than outrage? The Scripture tells us that, while sorrow may last for a night, joy comes in the morning. And, as Christians, we can and should laugh in the face of evil.
Everyone else sucks at driving? Yep. And…I have to come to term with the fact that God still loves them. That’s the real miracle. Rejection is often a gift? Ask the prophets. Ask the disciples. Ask the Savior who was despised and rejected, and through that rejection, gave us a name, a family, a future. True friends are hard to find? God doesn’t just call us servants. He calls us friends. The kind who don’t bail when you cry too hard or laugh too loud. The kind who stick around even when you start telling the same story again.
Set boundaries and keep them? The Trinity operates within perfect unity and perfect distinction. Nobody oversteps. Nobody dominates. It’s the most functional family you’ll ever meet. And it also shows us how to do and be family. It’s just money? Yep. The Son left the riches of heaven, didn’t so much as have a pillow, yet still managed to turn the world upside down. Go ahead, ask? Jesus literally said to. Knock. Ask. Seek. Just don’t whine if the answer’s not in stock or exactly what you wanted.
Every one of those principles, in some way, finds both its origin and its outcome in the Trinity. Without the Triune God, they’re just self-help bullet points. They’re nice Instagram quotes next to ocean waves and challenging yoga poses. But with him, ah!, they’re a way of life. A way of seeing. A way of being. Holy principles.
So yeah, this is the last principle. But it’s the one that makes everything else worth doing. The one that makes boundaries holy, comedy meaningful, loyalty sacred, and losses not the end. It’s the principle that means no matter how messy you are, no matter how many times you bomb in life or on stage, the Father sees you, the Son walks with you, and the Spirit strengthens you.
So: Know God and make him known. That’s it. That’s the whole thing. Everything else is just the set-up. This is the punchline.
Bridge-Burning isn’t Always Bad; Laughter is Greater Than Outrage; Beating Crap-Talkers; Dealing with Criticism; Loyalty is Everything; Don’t Let the Sun Set on Problems; Not Lusting After Victimhood; Advocate for Yourself; Revenge is Impossible; Everyone Else Sucks at Driving; Rejection is Often a Gift; True Friends are Hard to Find; Set Boundaries and Keep Them No Matter What; It’s Just Money; and, Go Ahead, Ask.