The Charm of Three

Sometime in the 1930s, the pastor Reinhold Niebuhr wrote what’s become known today as “The Serenity Prayer” — you’ve probably heard it before. It goes:

God, grant me the 

Serenity to accept the things I cannot change

Courage to change the things I can;

And the wisdom to know the difference.

This part is actually a little excerpt of a longer prayer he wrote, but the reason this part gets remembered is because of what writing experts call the charm of three.

Apparently, researchers have found that, 

in settings where people know the message source has a persuasion motive, the optimal number of positive claims is three. Information presented in groups of three are more memorable than other clusters of items because our brain is hardwired to remember three items. 

Serenity to accept

Courage to change

Wisdom to know

That is satisfying to us. It gives a sense of completeness. It’s almost like the number three is at the source of all reality(!) … think about this … even how we conceive of time — past, present, future. …

Nike says Just Do It; 

McDonalds says I’m Lovin’ It; 

with the seraphim of Isaiah 6, we sing Holy, holy, holy.

It’s the charm of three. It’s all around us. And it’s memorable. So what about when it comes to the Christian life?

It has occurred to me that the apostle Paul is doing the same thing in Philippians 3. 

This upcoming Sunday we’ll be looking at verses 12–16, which continues the same train of thought set in motion in verse 3. Remember that in verse 3 Paul tells us what it means to be the real people of God. Who are they? What characterizes a Christian?

We worship by the Spirit of God.

We glory in Christ Jesus.

We put no confidence in the flesh!

Worship by Spirit

Glory in Christ

Boast no more

Three phrases of three words from Philippians 3:3.