Learning from the Amish

I have often wondered if I could be Amish. I love horses and chickens, and the idea of taking from the land only what you put into it. And though I know Amish living is not as charming as I imagine it to be, I see the traditions the Amish pass down and the beautiful, quality work they do, and I admire them for it. I long for their simplicity of life, their singular focus, and their discipline. 

But does it take something as drastic as ditching my jeans for a skirt and bonnet to achieve that life? No, of course not. God is not limited like that. And who says I can't strive for those things, even while driving a minivan or typing on a computer?! Oh, so many questions!

A few weeks back, my sister-in-law recommended to me a book aptly titled Almost Amish. The author, Nancy Sleeth, is a suburban mother of two who also asked herself these questions. She found the answers among the Amish (and their cousins, the Mennonites) but they were not the answers she had expected to find. This is what she writes in her introduction:

What [the Amish] all share are a respect for tradition, a desire to make conscious decisions about 'progress,' and a belief that Scripture should guide every action-- not just for a few hours on Sunday, but in our homes and throughout the week.

The more she learned about the Amish, the more she discovered that there are reasons for their rules about no-electricity and no-cars. They choose not to "go with the flow" in order to go with God's flow, and to maintain a lifestyle that is not encumbered with unnecessary things in order to keep their eyes on God.

Sleeth, who spent considerable time among the Amish, gives many examples of Amish wisdom. One such example explains why the Amish choose not to use electricity, and reveals that the Amish is not all about prohibiting themselves and living a severely spartan life.

One of the first things you notice about Amish communities is that their homes are not hooked up to power lines. This is because the Amish do not want to be dependent on networks. The specific guidelines for the use of electricity vary from community to community. Old Order Amish, for example, forbid electricity from public utility lines but allow electricity from batteries. In some settlements, batteries are used to power calculators, fans, flashlights, copy machines, and computers. In other communities, solar energy is used to charge batteries, operate electric fences, and power household appliances. Why this distinction between power lines and batteries? Because electricity from batteries is more local and controllable; moreover, its use requires the virtues of forethought and restraint, which the Amish value highly.

Other virtues discussed in the book are simplicity, frugality, community, service, and security in God, and every example is supported by Bible passages, emphasizing that the Amish ways are founded on God's wisdom, not man's wisdom. If you have been feeling lost in "stuff" and overburdened by schedules and life in general, I recommend this book to you.

So, I don't need to move from my California suburb to a Pennsylvania farm to achieve the life God has intended for me. And I know myself well enough to know that if I became Amish, my biggest fault would be growing too legalistic. The better alternative for me is to become almost Amish and to make the necessary changes in my life, but not for the sake of the planet, not to live by a code, and not to shock others around me to make a point. It is about the underlying Biblical principles, and honoring God in every aspect of my life.