Whether changing flat tires in far off lands or fostering character qualities on the long journey of becoming Jesus-like, his followers make use of means.
What does means mean?
Means are things (practices/instruments) necessary to move toward a worthwhile goal.
The goal of getting changed into a kind of person resembling Christ is an aim unlike any other. What pursuit in all of life could bring greater challenges and deeper satisfactions when entered into with the whole heart?
Transformation to Christlikeness comes about (let’s be honest) through many days given to lackluster, routine plodding.
Doing the next good or right thing. If Jesus’ life is anything it is good and it is right (righteous). And it is routine plodding which often marks the pathway of the sincere person applying means to take on Jesus’ temperament, his humility and power. Routine – not lifeless.
The whole apprentice-in-formation journey can be equally characterized by surprise and adventure. Boring Jesus is not!
We never graduate from experimenting in the use of tools (means). This is the part where we discover a happy truth. The tools or the practices (stillness, worship, community, service etc) never are the point. Never. No more the point than if after undergoing a medical procedure the patient insists the surgeon hand over stethoscope, scalpel and sponge, “Just place them in my overnight bag at discharge time”. The point of everything was the patient’s wellness, not the collection of devices employed in the process, good and helpful as they surely were.
Though I was clueless at the time, the moment I decided as a high-school junior to opt for the Typing I course over the Spanish language track, a life-altering shift was set in motion. All this while any notion of tackling spiritual disciplines in hopes of becoming like Jesus could not have been further from my mind. Indeed “What are spiritual disciplines?”, I would have wondered. So, this small snapshot from my story serves only as an illustration.
As a high schooler, my means of afterward landing a job with a newspaper included the useful practice of learning to type. Those hours and hours of attentive practice yielded some rewarding fruit. Firstly, gaining a set of marketable skills (typesetting). Secondly, landing a job in the glorious Wyoming Rockies. And finally, stumbling into a setting there where I would get introduced to a pretty young lady – my future bride. Surprise. Adventure.
We may then be wise on our spiritual journey to ponder and apply in humble faith some ancient, proven practices (means).
Practices which could bring each of us over time to (wonder-of-wonders) mirror a close resemblance to Jesus – Son of God.
2022 Jerry Lout
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Looking back, I also see the steps that led me to where I am now. In principal and in reality as you write, “The point of everything was the patient’s wellness, not the collection of devices employed in the process.”
Great thoughts!
Yes, RJ and I routinely need the reminding! Thank you.