What the Mennonites got right

[Wade]

Hospitality!

[Wade]

Simpleness.

I mean a simpleness that is profound, like how Mennonite preachers can speak a sermon that touches the young, the middle aged, and the old, as well as the very intelligent, the not so intelligent, and the average, even the rich and the poor all at the same time.

And a simpleness of life that is not so busy with cares of this life and so is enabled to be busy serving.

I am editing to add maybe I should have substituted the word simpleness with plainness? I think either work fine?

[silentreader]

Simpleness.

I mean a simpleness that is profound, like how Mennonite preachers can speak a sermon that touches the young, the middle aged, and the old, as well as the very intelligent, the not so intelligent, and the average, even the rich and the poor all at the same time.

And a simpleness of life that is not so busy with cares of this life and so is enabled to be busy serving.

I am editing to add maybe I should have substituted the word simpleness with plainness? I think either work fine?

Simplicity?

[KingdomBuilder]

Hospitality!

Never experienced it first hand, but I live about 3 hours away from an anabaptist congregation and have heard of first hand stories about how kind/ hospitable people have been treated by them.
Kindness matter... Small deeds can spread far distances.

[gcdonner]

Hospitality!

Yes sir! And good food too!

[MaxPC]

Hospitality!

Never experienced it first hand, but I live about 3 hours away from an anabaptist congregation and have heard of first hand stories about how kind/ hospitable people have been treated by them.
Kindness matter... Small deeds can spread far distances.

[Wade]

Simpleness.

I mean a simpleness that is profound, like how Mennonite preachers can speak a sermon that touches the young, the middle aged, and the old, as well as the very intelligent, the not so intelligent, and the average, even the rich and the poor all at the same time.

And a simpleness of life that is not so busy with cares of this life and so is enabled to be busy serving.

I am editing to add maybe I should have substituted the word simpleness with plainness? I think either work fine?

Simplicity?

Yes. I think that sounds better. Thank you silentreader!

To be honest part of the reason I participate on here is because my reading, writing, comprehension skills are very poor. I learn better hands on, or by making mistakes...

So thank you to anyone willing to correct me as it is welcomed!

Now I wonder how many people I have insulted in the past with things like saying simpleness instead of simplicity all the while thinking I was paying a compliment...

[Bootstrap]

To be honest part of the reason I participate on here is because my reading, writing, comprehension skills are very poor. I learn better hands on, or by making mistakes...

There's no better way to do it. And you communicate pretty well here.

Now I wonder how many people I have insulted in the past with things like saying simpleness instead of simplicity all the while thinking I was paying a compliment...

It's confusing, especially since there are songs like 'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free..

[Josh]

This leaves those of us who aren't Swiss-German out in the cold. I can't make myself become Swiss-German. And having a Swiss-German work ethic seems very far afield from anything having to do with the kingdom of heaven.

I agree to a point, but I'd say that having such a high standard of living that both parents need to work away from home is even farther from kingdom of heaven ideals.

A lot of working class people scrape by with two jobs just to make ends meet. Often their main concern with living in a more expensive home is to be in a school district that isn't unsafe (unsafe = fights at school, drugs, metal detectors).

I'm wary of condemning parents where both work, often in not-lucrative jobs. The best thing we could do is offer schools for these peoples' children.

[Bootstrap]

Now I wonder how many people I have insulted in the past with things like saying simpleness instead of simplicity all the while thinking I was paying a compliment...

It's confusing, especially since there are songs like 'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free..

Here's a description of the wrong kind of simple:

The Call of Wisdom

20 Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
in the markets she raises her voice;
21 at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
23 If you turn at my reproof,
behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused to listen,
have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
25 because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when terror strikes you,
27 when terror strikes you like a storm
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 would have none of my counsel
and despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
and have their fill of their own devices.
32 For the simple are killed by their turning away,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but whoever listens to me will dwell secure
and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”