Lately I read this book, "The Parting" by Beverly Lewis. It's about a young Amish girl named Nellie Mae. She finally gets the chance of a lifetime when Caleb, the very handsome guy she secretly has had a crush on for three years, asks her to 'go steady' with him. They fall in love. Meanwhile, Nellie's father talks to a relative who's recently been 'shunned' by the Amish community for daring to declare that he was "saved", a big no-no for Old Order Amish, who believe that it is prideful to 'boast' of salvation, and that you just have to live a good life and hope for the best. Well, Nellie's father talks to this shunned relative and ends up being convinced that there's more to God than he originally thought. He goes home and starts to read passages in his Bible that he's never read before, because his religion only believes in select parts of the Bible. He reads John Chapter 3, and is convinced that God does promise salvation. He shares this with his family.Nellie is shocked. But then she becomes intrigued by this "New Faith" and desires it for herself. She's long had an empty place deep inside.
Only problem is... if she accepts this 'new faith', she'll lose Caleb. He's strictly "Old Order", and he will not be swayed from his position for anything.
Ouch. I got to thinking about this sticky situation. Can you imagine what a hard choice it would be to have to choose between a new faith and the very handsome young man whose attention you've always dreamed of capturing?
Of course you will probably say "Oh, well, I'd choose the faith" to reassure yourself.
Stop and think about it. You know nothing about this faith. You think you know everything about this handsome, blond, young man.
Which do you think is the right choice?
What would you choose?
I'd love it if you let me know by leaving a comment.
Blessings!
I'm not quite sure what I'd do. I am thankful that I don't have to. That i have already made my decision to follow Christ and have been raised in that.
ReplyDeleteShalom,
Miss Jocelyn
aponderingheart.com
http://feelinfeminine.com
Look at a possible alternative to choosing to believe the Bible because she would lose Caleb. She doesn't accept this knew knowledge and marries Caleb. But in her heart, she knows she cannot turn her back on what God says in the Bible and she begins to believe what God says, in other words, this new faith. But Caleb doesn't agree. Marriage problems! And as she grows closer to God in believing His word, the distance between her and Caleb grows greater. She ends up with a husband with which she cannot share that which becomes most important to her.
ReplyDeleteBetter to believe what God says in the Bible and let marriage wait, if necessary.
God will not play second to anyone. He wants us to believe what He says. As I point out in my blog, God can help someone understand the Bible if that person is willing to believe what God says more than their own opinions and traditions.
God sometimes tests us on this. He can show me a point of truth in the Bible that seems surprising to me, maybe contrary to my traditions or my opinions or what my minister teaches me. If I put God first and give up my beliefs and believe what God says, then God can help me understand more of the Bible, one point at a time. But if I start to interpret the Bible according to my own beliefs and traditions rather than let the Bible correct and change my beliefs, then God's help stops and my understanding stops. I would be afraid of the consequences of that.
The right choice is absolutely the faith, without a doubt. But you put an interesting point.....what if we had the guy of our dreams and yet....
ReplyDeleteKnowing series, I won't be surprised, though, if the one guy becomes New Order.
What a quandary!
ReplyDeleteTo be 100% honest I cannot say what I would do. I'd love to say, "I would choose the new faith." But, if it was me right now at this time in my life... I dunno about that. I would prolly pick the dude. As for later in my life when I grow in maturity I might choose differently... I really am unsure. =P
Teenagers, young girls, they are so full of love... They want to give it away. They want to feel loved. I think that a lot of girls would choose the handsome, amazing guy that loved them as they were. I think that most young women would the guy--even if they wouldn't admit it, even to themselves.
~Mariah
I have read some Beverly Lewis, but not this one...yet. To be really honest, I don't know what I would do, but I'm pretty sure I would choose the faith. I have never been in this situation before, so I really have no clue what it is like. What about you?
ReplyDelete~Joanna
Oooo.....that would be a really tough decision. I know it would be all too easy to decide 'Oh, I'll go with the faith!'...but that's because I already know the faith. She didn't.
ReplyDeleteI guess in that situation, I'd say that I would want God to show me more, to reveal Himself to me really truly as Jesus the Savior, before I actually made the decision. I'd want to know that this new faith was really real.
I know He would make Himself known to me, and then I'd have to make the decision to give up what I want and love in order to follow Him; HIS will, not mine. But it would be horribly hard to let go of Caleb. I know I would be sobbing as I 'gave him up' to God. But I also know that as I cried, giving him up, I know that Jesus would be holding me all the while.
Miss Jocelyn,
ReplyDeleteIt is unsettling to think about, isn't it? :) I am also glad that I've already been raised to follow Christ. I was just wondering what it would be like if I had not. :)
Author Sir, :)
I agree with you. :) I looked at your blog and was quite impressed. :) I do think that if Nellie had chose Caleb and the Old Order instead of a 'new faith', she would eventually have to accept the faith anyway, and yes, you'd have a HUGE rift in the marriage. I think the right choice would definitely be to accept the faith and trust in God to bring the young man around. :D Thank you for sharing your opinion! :)
Ella,
(I have got to email you soon...) I agree - obviously the faith would be the right choice. :) It does put an interesting spin on it though, when the other choice is the man of your dreams... :) We'll have to see what happens in the series. :D
Hey Riah,
:D I agree! It is quite a quandrary! :) One I wouldn't want to be in... but it makes for a good blog post. LOL. Young girls are certainly full of love to give. And you're probably right... wth the way girls are these days, I think most would be sorely tempted to just stick with the guy. :)
Joanna,
Well, I'd have to think about that... from reading the book and knowing the strong pull this girl's family has on her, (like mine has on me) I would be following them, not choosing my own path by marrying someone who had totally opposite beliefs than my own parents. So I can say that I'd probably choose the faith. :) But that doesn't mean it would be easy!!! :P
Anonymous,
Exactly. :) She didn't. But you are absolutely right... God would be there to comfort the person making the choice. Great comment! :)
Blessings to all,
Miss Julia
It would be very hard to choose, I don't know what I would do. Right now I think I would choose the faith, but then maybe a little while later, I might choose the young man. I am so thankful that I (hopefully) will never have to choose between the two.
ReplyDeleteIn Him,
Kristin Alexander
Wow, I have no idea.
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad I don't have too! =D
I have never heard of that book before.
ReplyDeleteLauren Ann
I have read this book--quite good. It would be a hard decision, especially if I were in her exact situation. But the true faith of course is much more important and lovely. Who knows what I'd really do in such a situation, though. Maybe I'd be a chicken and keep my new faith secret, at least for a while.
ReplyDeleteHi--I'm a friend of Tia G's. I think that's a very interesting idea for a book. And I think that, if I was given the choice, I would pick the faith 'cause I'd know it to be right, but MAN! would it be hard. I would probably still think about that guy 24/7 and wish he would change to be like me. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me comment on your blog. :)
If I were in her shoes, and because I know my job is to honor my father and mother, I would have to choose the faith. (My father wouldn't just pick up a random faith and say ",Oh, let's try this one!" so I know I'd be safe.) My heart would break, and I'd cry all the tears I had inside me, but I would live, and I would lean Jesus. Wait, no... He'd probably have to carry me!
ReplyDelete