As he mused he became keenly sensible of the deep responsibility they assume who disregard the means to attain the end, and of all the danger of setting in motion an engine which it exceeds human power to control.
– James Fenimore Cooper, Last of the Mohicans, describing Montcalm reflecting on the massacre of William Henry
The landscape of modern Western Christianity today is littered with the wrecks of engines which “leaders” set in motion, disregarding the means they were using to attain their end.
And yet, many still press on with dubious means to build their ministries (or empires), as if the means doesn’t matter as long as they achieve their end. They set in motion engines which they cannot control, and they bear a heavy responsibility — for the actual end achieved is just about always affected by the means.
Mind Renewers 
Not just in churches but in homes and personal lives as well. How we need God’s wisdom and help in pursuing our Lord’s work in His way.
Thanks, Mom, you are so right! Still learning from my mother after all these years! 🙂
How sad…and how true. It seems many have forgotten it is NOT about them! We should always seek to exalt Christ, in the church and in the home…in our everyday lives. I agree with Ruth, oh how we need God’s wisdom, His mercy, His grace. Man {including many ‘celebrity pastors’} has deemed himself able to navigate through this life on his own- yet Christ tells us ‘apart from,Me, you can to NOTHING!’ Idolatry is so rampant throughout the land; however, that certainly is nothing new is it?
Bless you Jon
Thanks, Lyn. The biggest idolatry is self-idolatry, and the most common form of self-idolatry is worship of our own wisdom / knowledge.
Amen Jon…amen. May the Lord keep us from such wickedness; may we pray DAILY to be humble and to serve.