I used to think of the Amish as stuck in some past day; quaint, out of date, and thus as Christianity goes, irrelevant.
Last Monday I switched cultural frequencies in one brief trip. I began the day in the heart of a Northern Indiana Amish community, and a few hours later traveled into the heart of Chicago. From non-electrified farmhouses in the morning, to one hundred plus story stacks of concentrated, high tech society.
Before my departure, I visited an Amish store. People like me hustled through with brands flashing from blue jeans, tennis shoes, shirts and jackets. There were tattoos, piercings and t-shirt messages stretched over beer bellies. Here was sewn a superfluous bow, and there an unneeded button. It felt as if all of us--created in God's image--were advertising our need to be seen...to be noticed. And we, the ones who are "free?" Are we?
Along the aisles where they stocked shelves, and behind counters where they answered questions or took payment, were lean and strong looking people. They were dressed in nearly identical clothing, and had matching glows about their faces. They had come to work on bicycles, or in the horse-buggies out back...probably after feeding animals, gathering eggs and milking their cows.
I know well that this idealistic picture is...well, idealized. And I have no leanings toward doing life with horses instead of horsepower. But the simplicity I seek in my life may lay somewhere between my ways and those of a much more focused people.
My prayer is that I might recognize the reality of some scriptures my Dad had me memorize as a child: "Don't think of yourself more highly than you ought..." "Godliness with contentment is great gain." "God opposes the proud, but exalts the humble."
Just thinking--and a bit more clearly.
Imagine how amazed I was today, 6 days later. I came across a group of brothers and sisters--Amish, simple styles and all--in the lobby of my downtown high-rise Chicago hotel. Such grace and peace moved between us as we spoke; and then we blessed one-another when parting.
Dave, My family and I live amongst an Amish community near Richmond (small community relative to the numbers in North Indiana). We've become close friends with some and I have really grown to appreciate so many things that about these people. Like you, I may be over simplifying. But, there seems to be a real contentment and appreciation for living among the Amish. They truly live in a community of love and support...both for each other and God. The simple grace that we've personally witnessed has helped us understand what distractions we have from living with one eye toward God. Their community certainly has its challenges...but, like you, I think a lot of the answers are partly within it.
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