Getting along
Thursday, Jan 11, 2007
“After getting to know only three of my neighbors better, I was becoming more certain of an impression I had already received at the barn raising and the beard-bragging session: that there was more than one way to live with less technology. The common ground held by the different members of this community, indeed, was still being mapped out. As things stood now, what joined them together, beyond certain basic propositions on Christianity and the use of machinery, was a willingness to differ.”
~Better Off, p. 129
7 Comments
RSS feed for comments on this post. TrackBack URI
Leave a comment
It seems that in recent times we are challenged almost to the limit to “Get Along”. As diversity is thrown in our face, our willingness to differ is hampered by the demand from those that require us to move beyond acceptance to conformity. It is not enough today to accept someone with an opposing view, but now we are chastised for having our own. Our Lord anticipated that this may become an issue, and he gave us a choice. We can subscribe to the popularity of the day, or we can follow Him. Joyfully following our Lord means carrying our own cross, but that is what it takes to be a disciple of the Lord.
Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after Me cannot be My disciple” (Luke 14:27).
In face of hardship, doing the right thing results most often in a trial, and being successful seems allusive. Mother Theresa once proclaimed: “The Lord does not ask me to be successful, only faithful”. Thankfully the Lord provides us a reward for being faithful.
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11″Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. 12Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.( Matthew 5: 10-12)
Feels good to be in such good company
Comment by Gerry (January 12, 2007 @ 4:47 am )
This is a concept that is well worth some discussion especially by those who seek to forge community where one does not exist. The thing that seems critical is to agree on the non-negotiable and to be charitable in all other things. We may agree or disagree on a particular community’s chosen non-negotiables, but if THEY agree, and they keep the debatable things up for discussion, and the non-negotiable things non-negotiable, they will succeed. Based on observation of communities that I have experience with or knowledge of, it seems that when the debatable becomes non-negotiable or when the non-negotiable becomes debatable is when a community begins to come apart at the seams.
I think this is what you see, Gerry. Within our current culture (21st Century USA), there is a strong push for us to tolerate, accept, and even embrace anything and everything. There is also the constant demand that we give up on the non-negotiables of our faith. This two fronted assault is coming from both within the “evangelical” church (from the emergent crowd and their questioning of Biblical authority and perspicuity for example) and from without (from the homosexual rights folks pressing for Christian culture to bless their unions, for example). The result will be a very fractured and unhealthy society that cannot exist for long, in my opinion.
While this is somewhat beyond where the “Minimite” community in the book Amy quotes is at, we must remember that most of the USA was once very similar in look and feel to the lifestyle these folks are living. Those who seek to forge a community of like-minded people should be sure that the like-mindedness is on those things that really matter and that it doesn’t encroach on the negotiable. In other words, there must be a willingness to differ beyond the basic propositions and not a desire that everyone be like me.
Comment by Greg (January 12, 2007 @ 8:52 am )
“Beard-bragging” . . . ?
Comment by Mrs. P. (January 12, 2007 @ 3:45 pm )
I read the very chapter last night with that quote in it. What a fun book. Every few pages I find myself saying “wow, that’s cool.”
Comment by Jo (January 12, 2007 @ 11:03 pm )
I thought about this a few weeks ago actually. I like what you said about looking for likemindedness on what really matters. It seems like in our search for likeminded worship, etc. we manage to go too far at times. An unwillingness to accept different parenting styles, different ‘homeschooling’ styles–works totally against us. We’ve heard a lot of sermons lately on loving one another, and remembering that part of the Apostle’s Creed that talks about the catholic church. And besides that, we, as a family had been memorizing Romans 12 so it all hits home that we ought to be building one another up–edifying–and not tearing one another apart.
Comment by Lyn (January 14, 2007 @ 12:37 pm )
I got this book from our library right after you mentioned it! Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down! I was thinking going and living with the Amish was the life for me (and my family) and then we got hit with a major ice storm and were without electricity for a couple of days…now I’m not so sure.LOL. I like what he says about taking those principals and adapting them to your own life (I don’t have the quote, the book had to go back to the library). Thank you for a great read!! As usual, I completely agree with you!
Comment by Christy (January 14, 2007 @ 6:34 pm )
Mrs. P,
Beard-bragging seems to be the agrarian equivalent of our neighbors who rev their engines.
Comment by Amy Scott (January 15, 2007 @ 11:35 am )