Jesus instructed people to become like little children and that’s exactly what’s happening this week at Snowmass Chapel. I don’t know who’s having more fun at Camp SMashBox, the kids or the grown-ups. One thing that always catches my eye is the focus on kid-friendly instructions. If you stop by the Chapel grounds you might see signs around campus like this:

Or this:

We are in full swing with 85 kids making joyful noises outside my window and the very best kind of kid chaos. But fun should not be confused with foolish. In order to keep everyone safe and happy there is definitely some structure and a few ground rules written in language all kids can understand. “Drink Water. Wear Sunscreen. Eat Yo’ Food.” There is also a positive slant to everything – as in, provide information and tell them what to do not what to don’t: “Slippery when wet. Please dry off. Please walk.”    Short, sweet, and as easy to follow as a yellow brick road.

Wouldn’t it be nice if all directions in life offered such simple advice in plain language? There’s a Colorado Department of Transportation sign that I’ve spotted on Highway 82 which is particularly convoluted, and I have to think not helpful, for anyone visiting our fair state: “MOVE OVER LAW ENFORCEMENT AREA.” It took me two miles just to figure out what that sign was trying to tell me the first time I drove by it. (If you can’t figure it out after re-reading this a few times, click here. It saves lives and it’ll save you a ticket.)

The Bible is also often difficult to understand with its list of obscure ancient laws, tricksters, prophetic dreams, and head-scratching parables. To keep me from sweating the small stuff I keep a scrap piece of paper in my Bible with the following quote: “Much of the Bible is confusing, but the most important parts are not.” Can I get an Amen?  Jesus whittled it all the important parts down to this one:  Love.  When we can’t figure out what something means, or how we are supposed to behave, or why Jesus did what he did — just assume love is involved. Somehow, some way, Jesus is directing you to love regardless of Old Testament battles and randomly circumcised cities.

The Message version of the Bible, which puts scripture into easy to understand language, reinterprets Romans 13:8 this way: Don’t run up debts, except for the huge debt of love you owe each other…The law code—don’t sleep with another person’s spouse, don’t take someone’s life, don’t take what isn’t yours, don’t always be wanting what you don’t have, and any other “don’t” you can think of—finally adds up to this: Love other people as well as you do yourself. You can’t go wrong when you love others.

Now that is about as plain as it gets! Even a child would understand those simple ground rules, and I think, after all, that’s what God wants. For us to become like children so that we enjoy the silliness of our surroundings, laugh easily, and love well.