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I’ve been thinking about the means and the ends a lot lately. The means are how things are done, the process. The ends are the results, the fulfillment of an action. There is an age-old belief that the ends justify the means. If that is so, then it doesn’t matter what you do, or how you act, or how you treat others so long as you get what you want. If the ends justify the means, then it is perfectly acceptable to manipulate people, to dehumanize and degrade people, to abuse people, and even to use violence. It’s the ends that matter after all. This is the theology of this world, of politics and certain politicians (both current and from throughout history).
But what did Jesus think about the means and the ends? If we are to call ourselves followers of Jesus, then we probably should not only pay attention to what Jesus said, but also follow it. Or we should just be honest and stop claiming to be a follower of Jesus.
‘Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorns, or figs from thistles? In the same way, every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will know them by their fruits.
(Matthew 7:15-20)
The tree is the thing that bears fruit. It is the means to the end. The end is the fruit. And Jesus is saying that bad trees produce bad fruit while good trees produce good fruit. Going back to the main question and applying Jesus’ logic, it might sound like this. Good means produce good ends. Bad means produce bad ends.
Here’s another passage that makes the case even clearer:
‘Everyone then who hears these words of mine and acts on them will be like a wise man who built his house on rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on rock. And everyone who hears these words of mine and does not act on them will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell—and great was its fall!’
(Matthew 7:24-27)
If you were to build a house, would you only care about the end product – a house that is built? Or would care about what was going into that house and how it was built, what products were used, and who the laborers were? If the house is built well, it will be a good house. If it’s done shoddy, the house will be shoddy. The ends are far less important than the means of how the house came to be.
Yet, why does this idea of the ends justify the means persist when we know that it is wrong? Why, especially does this idea carry any weight within the church, the institution that supposedly claims to follow Jesus? I have heard self-proclaimed Christians, and even pastors speak of this belief system. I have watched them carry it out. And I have wondered, how is this following Jesus and his way?
It’s not. There’s no other way around it.
Jesus concerned himself with the means. Discipleship is about the means – a way of living. Ministry is about the means. Mission is about the means. If the end was all that mattered, then God would make us as robots and get the result God wanted from all of us. But God is love. And love isn’t about being controlling, but rather invitation to deep relationship and community. Love is the means. The ends will take care of themselves. Jesus calls us to be good trees, to build the house on a solid foundation, to follow his way of living and discipleship. The means are important. The means are what following Jesus is all about.
Thanx for the observations here. Not sure I deal with them by the same means as you, but you are causing things to gel for me that previously had not.
I am thinking about the changes that have come over church outreach models in the last decade esp. The book When Helping Hurts caused my church to shut down all the outreach ministries and revamp them almost a decade ago. And this happened when my church began questioning our ends.
Are we effective?
Then I found my new church promoting the Seeking Shalom course put out by the Lupton Center because they want their outreach to be EFFECTIVE.
Hmmm…
I don’t see this as a question Jesus addresses – certainly not in anyway like these books and courses. I see him heal ten lepers, only one returns to say thanx! Jesus definitely notes this, but I see no evidence that it causes him to change his means of sharing love and salvation.
Now we offer classes all designed to tell us not to help too much, not to give money to the poor, to aim at getting them a job and thus dignity etc rather than enabling them. You know… just like Jesus says!
All this seems sparked by an analysis of the ENDS that seems so UNSATISFYING to … to… to US! And thus we change our MEANS to suit the ENDS WE think WE want.
Hmmmm…
Your post is helping me clarify this thinking.
Thanx
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This is all very interesting. I’ve read When Helping Hurts and enjoyed it. But then again, I read a bit differently – I read for the parts I can take and utilize and scrap the rest – I do that with any book though. The part that was helpful to me was the beginning when they talk about how we are all broken in four relationships – with God, with self, with others, and with the rest of humanity. I think that makes a lot of sense and it is what allows us to then go and be with others in their brokenness as well. We accompany each other in our brokenness and are able to tap into each other’s value because of the imago dei. Thinking more about the book, I can see where you are coming from. Apparently I applied the concept of brokenness in relationship far different than what the authors do.
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Certainly different than the authors and different from any of the churches influenced by it that I have interaction with.
I will grant that not EVERY word of it is garbage, but in my estimation… if you are only getting something good from five or six pages (or less) and if you could get that good part somewhere else anyway (which you can) and esp if the rest of it is damaging stuff, then I am inclined to chuck it.
I will say this for Rev Phelps and the Westboro Baptists – they have a tenacious faith! I really mean that. I even admire it. But you aren’t likely to find me enthused about anything else they stand for.
Yes, WHH makes an attempt at theologically grounding their program in shalom. To that extent I say yes. However, I would encourage you to check out my recent post called Cruciformed for a much more thorough analysis of what is wrong there and what should replace it.
Thanx for your post and your comment.
God bless…
X
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Part of this is that I try to see the silver lining in everything, so if I can find something good out of a book, then that’s great. I apply it in a way that works. I hear what you are saying though. I’ll have to go back and do some re-reading. It’s not always back to keep books that are off the mark though either, especially if they are influencial – just to stay on top of how people are thinking and are able to work around it or confront it.
As for cruciformed, I’m familiar with that idea. We studied this in seminary – not that book in particular, but others, like Inhabiting the Cruciform God. This is a book by Gorman. It’s pretty good. Another book by Gorman is “Becoming the Gospel.” Another good one. Other books that aren’t directly related, but I think fit in are books on Luther’s theology of the cross. The one by McGrath is a classic and thick with great theology. Luther and the Hungry Poor by Torvend is another book that takes the historical perspective on this from Luther’s time and living out the Gospel with the poor.
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Agreed: The end does not justify the means
Agreed: Discipleship is about the means – a way of living
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The means are the end in the process of becoming….this is why we will never be able to bomb our way to peace. This is why we cant shame, blame and humiliate people into treating us with respect and love. it’s why Jesus tells us that as we forgive, we are forgiven.
As you say…the means matter. The ends never justify the means, ultimately the means are the ends.
the
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