Posted in Simple Living

For who knows what reason, I have been fascinated by the Amish way of life for a very long time.  When we were serving in a church up in Wichita, Kansas we were fairly close to an Amish community called Yoder.  We visited there several times and took in the lovely atmosphere.  We also attended the Kansas State Fair and noted many handmade things provided by the Amish from that neighboring community.  It was a wonderfully warm community with a richness about it that I cannot describe.  In my curiosity I recently rented a DVD from Netflix entitled:  The Amish:  A People of Preservation.  In watching that documentary I was moved into making a few observations that I am delighted to share with you here. 

Before we go any further I must say that I am in no way saying that we should just chuck our 21st century lives and move to an electric free community and live off the land.  That is not practical for most of our society today.  There are wonderful advantages, I might add, to having an electric Bosch machine that allows me to cook bread in two short hours rather than working on it all day.  I rather appreciate the fact that laundry does not take all day and that I do not have to haul wood to make meals for my family.  In this blistering desert heat, I can enjoy the cool shelter of my home with the aid of air conditioning and ceiling fans and refrain from sleeping in coats and layer upon layer of blankets and quilts throughout the winter months.  I also enjoy the fact that I can sew on an electric sewing machine and serger and that I do have access to some enjoyable things (such as watching my Netflix DVDs) on my electronic equipment and then sharing those observations with you through the use of my trusty laptop (which has eliminated quite a bit of paper from my life).  I just merely feel that there are some things about the way that they live and think that can "enlighten" us a bit.  So, without further adieu, prepare to be enlightened... ;)

I loved this quote made about the Amish by Chief Justice Warren Berger.  Here is the quote…

Chief Justice Warren Berger said, "There can be no assumption that today's majority is right and the Amish and others like them are wrong.  A way of life that is odd or even erratic but interferes with no rights or interest of others is not to be condemned because it is different."

I think we would all do well to stop condemning others who chose to live out their Christianity in a slightly different way.  In realizing that God has called each of us to different ministries and different walks this quote made a great deal of sense to me.  You are made for your ministry and no one is quite like you.  We would do well to recognize that the Holy Spirit convicts us all in a way that is best for our particular ministry.  I do believe that there is a valid ministry among the Amish that still exists in our society today.  I, for one, have been touched by this ministry and have been made richer for the brief encounter that I have had with them.  Their particular bent toward the importance of community and family and a beautiful picture of the Church.  I will expound upon more of these things as I go. 

That is not to say that one can stray from the fundamentals of Christianity.  There are absolutes that make you either saved or lost depending upon what you have put your faith in.  After examining the beliefs of the Amish I believe they follow the fundamentals of faith in Christ.  Let me, at this point, just define what I mean by fundamentals.  There are five basic fundamentals of Christianity that will apply to all valid Christian denominations.  They are…

• The virgin birth and the deity of Jesus.
• Inerrancy of the Scriptures
• The doctrine of substitutionary atonement through God’s grace and human faith
• The bodily resurrection of Jesus
• The authenticity of Christ’s miracles (or alternatively, His pre-millennial second coming

There are, however, those things which are not exactly clear in scripture and we must rely upon the Holy Spirit to guide us in understanding and discernment.  That requires a personal relationship with God.  That is only attainable with each individual within their study and prayer time and through a daily walk with Christ. 

How each person lives out their walk with Christ is a very personal thing.  If the fundamentals are in place and the Holy Spirit is directing that person’s life then where do we have the right (we ultimately have no rights, btw - ;) ) to criticize their walk or judge their faith?  That is only something God can do.  Berger says it beautifully in his assessment of the Amish and how they live.  I, for one, hold a deep respect for the life that many Amish choose to live.  I will continue to be respectful of their choices and maybe, in some small way, I can emulate some of their most treasured principles to make my own family richer.  There is much they can teach us and I will be sharing some of those things over the next few days. 

Thanks for reading!!!