Separate For Love’s Sake

Separate for Love’s Sake

If anyone comes to you and does not bring this doctrine [is disloyal to what Jesus Christ taught], do not receive him [do not accept him, do not welcome or admit him] into [your] house or bid him Godspeed or give him any encouragement.

2 John 1:10 (AMP)

Have you ever heard of the Amish shunning someone who has left the Amish faith? Shunning is a foreign concept to most Christians. During Amish baptism, a man or woman promises to live within the community of the church and follow its decrees—all of them. To walk away is to break that promise, and the Amish believe walking away is symbolic of a man or woman’s soul wandering away from God. To them there is no difference.

Shunning, to the Amish, is a way of showing love. They believe that putting separation between themselves and the other person will cause that person to reconsider his or her ways.

Saloma Furlong is a former Amish woman, and she explains shunning this way:

In my home community, some time (usually several weeks) after a person has left, the community will hold a “fast and pray” day, hoping that it will bring the person back. Two weeks later, if the person has not returned to conform to the Amish “Ordnung” he or she is then placed in the “Bann” (pronounced ‘Bawn’), which means all rules of permanent shunning apply. There are four basic rules:

1. Amish members of the church may no longer eat with a former member.
2. Members may not do business with a former member.
3. Members may not ride in a car driven by a former member.
4. Members may not receive gifts from a former member.

Even though we may not practice shunning as part of our own church doctrine, God does tell us to separate ourselves from those who choose to walk away from Him. Of course, this is a serious matter and should always be considered with prayer. God, who knows all people’s hearts, will give us wisdom about whether to reach out to that person or to step away from him or her for a time.

Dear heavenly Father, my heart aches for those who truly choose to walk away from You. Guide me in dealing with those people so that the result will be their turning back to You.