The Amish country of Pennsylvania is beautiful! If you have never been there, I encourage you....GO!!! When I saw this picture, I said to myself "been there, done that." Sometimes revisiting familiar places like "Bird in hand" is a pleasant thing, but what if it is not? Read on to see what I mean.
John 9:13-28 WEB (R)
(13) They brought him who had been blind to the Pharisees.
(14) It was a Sabbath when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes.
(15) Again therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he received his sight. He said to them, "He put mud on my eyes, I washed, and I see."
(16) Some therefore of the Pharisees said, "This man is not from God, because he doesn't keep the Sabbath." Others said, "How can a man who is a sinner do such signs?" There was division among them.
(17) Therefore they asked the blind man again, "What do you say about him, because he opened your eyes?" He said, "He is a prophet."
(18) The Jews therefore did not believe concerning him, that he had been blind, and had received his sight, until they called the parents of him who had received his sight,
(19) and asked them, "Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?"
(20) His parents answered them, "We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind;
(21) but how he now sees, we don't know; or who opened his eyes, we don't know. He is of age. Ask him. He will speak for himself."
(22) His parents said these things because they feared the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if any man would confess him as Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue.
(23) Therefore his parents said, "He is of age. Ask him."
(24) So they called the man who was blind a second time, and said to him, "Give glory to God. We know that this man is a sinner."
(25) He therefore answered, "I don't know if he is a sinner. One thing I do know: that though I was blind, now I see."
(26) They said to him again, "What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?"
(27) He answered them, "I told you already, and you didn't listen. Why do you want to hear it again? You don't also want to become his disciples, do you?"(28) They insulted him and said, "You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
The Pharisees would not believe in Jesus and thought if they just kept searching for evidence they could support their unbelief. The truth is that you believe exactly what you want to believe (and nothing more)! The old statement: "my mind is made up, don't confuse me with the facts" is true. Belief can be based on facts, but disbelief is often founded on the will and for those with a hard heart, the facts do not really matter. Even if a miracle was a unique one, it still wouldn't matter. Stubborn is stubborn and that is that!! For those with a hard heart, even if someone put a bird right in their hand, they wouldn't believe it was there. So, if you go to Pennsylvania and see this sign, stop at one of the local Amish restaurants, the food is great! And the food is great!!! Reread the last sentence until you are hungry!!!