Amish Devotional: It’s Not About Me by Mary Ellis
“But those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.” Matthew 23:12 ɴʟᴛ
My mother had her own version of that particular Scripture: Stop tooting your own horn. And her favorite: The less said about one’s self, the better.
The immortal maxims of my late mother still ring in my ears today, making me smile. The problem is Mom was a stay-at-home housewife, not a published author. How does a Christian balance being humble with the necessity of self-promotion, essential in many careers? Not only writers, but musicians, dancers, actors, salespeople, public speakers, sports figures and—of course—politicians must do quite a bit of horn-tooting to stay in the game. Often this type of marketing is not only expected, but required in the fine print of contracts. When I struggle with the dilemma of promotion vs. setting oneself above others, I take a lesson from the Amish.
After studying their culture for years, I learned the Amish are reluctant to draw attention to themselves or their accomplishments. In my most recent Amish book, A Plain Man, Caleb struggles upon his return to his family after a five-year rumschpringe. Caleb must not only give up his electric tools, English clothing, and pickup truck, but also his need to take credit for personal achievements. In Cleveland at the carpenters’ union hall, Caleb had to make sure everyone knew about his superior abilities. He needed to stay above his peers. But among the Amish, everyone works together without any one man or woman getting the glory. Now Caleb must find a balance between using the skills God gave him and humbling himself in the community and before his Lord.
As an author, I too must walk a tightrope between not puffing myself up and spreading the word when I release a new book about God’s infinite grace, mercy, and love. If the Lord continues to put words into my head, I will weave them into gentle stories about the Amish or romances about strong women in history. But I must never forget: It’s not about me. It’s all by His hand and for His glory.
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Mary Ellis has written twelve bestselling novels set in the Amish community. Before “retiring” to write full-time, Mary taught middle school and worked as a sales rep for Hershey Chocolate. She has enjoyed a lifelong passion for American history and is an active member of the local historical society. She has recently finished several romances set during the Civil War and is currently working on a series of mysteries titled “Secrets of the South.” The Last Heiress is her latest release. She can be found on the web at www.maryellis.net or on Facebook.
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The plain man sounds like a good read. It’s nice to have some books out about the Amish men for a change . I also enjoy fiction books about the civil war period.
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Mary Ellis Reply:
February 20th, 2015 at 8:32 am
Hi Shirley. Yes, Amish men are not as outgoing as Amish women when it comes to Englishers, so gaining their perspective was a challenge while writing A Plain Man.
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I am in the middle of “The Last Heiress” and love it. I believe that the ability to write is from God. He surely understands that sometimes promotion is essential…or he wouldn’t have created bluebirds and red birds and beautiful things that we can see with our eyes. Does that make sense, lol.
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Mary Ellis Reply:
February 20th, 2015 at 8:33 am
Thanks, Sandi, for your kind words about The Last Heiress. That book was a pleasure to research and to write. I’m so glad you’re enjoying it.
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The Plain Man sounds like a good read. Can hardly wait to read it.
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Mary Ellis Reply:
February 20th, 2015 at 8:35 am
A Plain Man was like coming full circle for me. I started creating my Amish stories in Wayne and Holmes Counties, Ohio, and it was a joy to revisit the area during the writing of Caleb’s story. Hope you enjoy it.
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