Living Life at the Angle of 45 Degrees

At an angle of 45°, we look both up and out, and this is a good paradigm for life. At 45° degrees, we can view both up: seeing and loving God, and out: seeing and loving our neighbor.

At 90° (i.e., straight up or straight out) our field of vision misses either God or the people whom He loves. For example, if I look straight up (90°) I am looking toward God but not toward the people He loves; if I look straight forward (90°) I am looking toward the people I love but not toward the God I love. At a 45° angle, I can see them both.

The Christian life should be lived at 45°. A life directed only to God but oblivious to our neighbor is incomplete, for it lacks the second table of the Law (love of neighbor). A life wholly devoted to man and humanitarian endeavors but forgetful of God is not spiritual at all; it is mere social activism and neglects the first table of the Law (love of God). It is at 45° that we find the proper balance for life.

Here is an interesting video that takes up this theme:

3 Replies to “Living Life at the Angle of 45 Degrees”

  1. Another mathematical way of looking at Christian life is the equation 1×3.

    1 being the virtue of love, 3 being object of love: self, neighbor, and God.

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