Means Matter

Jesus, knowing that they intended to come and make him king by force, withdrew again to a mountain by himself. John 6:15

We need to clarify something. When it comes to doing God’s will, how you get it done is as important as doing it. In the Kingdom of God, the ends never justify the means.

People often wonder why Jesus told people he had healed not to tell anyone. Why was he so afraid of the positive press coverage? And in this verse, why did Jesus resist the crowd? Didn’t he want to be king? Wasn’t that God’s plan for him anyway?

Jesus was and is indeed a king, but the route to the throne was very critical to God’s plan. It went through the cross. Had Jesus answered the crowd’s call to be their king, he likely would have never died on the cross. His path to the Kingdom required death and resurrection, and only then would he be qualified to rule.

In God’s Kingdom, means matter. Shortcutting for a good cause is never in the plan of God.

So, let’s think about our lives for a minute. How many times are we tempted to cut corners in the name of a something noble? How many times do we use unethical means to accomplish a good end? Still confused? Let’s get specific:

God wants the abortion clinic to be shut down, but he doesn’t condone the murder of those who work there
The man or woman you’re dating may be the person God wants you to marry, but living with them before marriage is still wrong
God wants you to be debt free and able to give more, but lying on your tax returns isn’t how you accomplish it
God wants your church to reach people and be evangelistic, but secretly lobbying to have your pastor fired isn’t how you help your church

Today, you will have the opportunity to make hundreds if not thousands of tiny choices. Some will possibly have huge Kingdom implications. Don’t let a good cause justify or blind you to poor or unethical methods. How you get it done matters.