The Simple Life

My family and I went to a festive occasion last Saturday, a shore side wedding of two lake-loving fishing-fanatics. My husband was officiating over the ceremony and we were instructed to arrive at 3:00 to go over final details. After navigating around the tree-lined maze of winding roads with more forks than a formal table set for eight, we finally saw the signs and balloons identifying the joyous location.  Frantic and concerned that we were 30 minutes late, we turned the corner ready to hop out of the vehicle, only to discover one lonely car in the parking lot. With the exception of the balloons on the sign, no other evidence of a wedding existed.  

"This must be the spot, but where is everyone?" I asked my husband.

"Two other guests have arrived," noted John pointing to the lady waiting in the other vehicle. A rosy cheeked girl in a brown floral dress played nearby.

 "Ask that little girl. She must be here for the wedding. No one else would wear a dress to the lake."

I rolled down the window. "Do you know if there is a wedding here?"

"Yes, at 4:00," she replied. Her brunette pony tail bobbed up and down as she skipped along.

Hmm...the faith of a child. I thought.

Just then, John received a call from the groom. "We'll be there in five minutes."

Twenty minutes later, he and the rest of the wedding party began to trickle in. A couple of the groomsmen unloaded the flower encrusted arch and began the assembly of the lakeside altar. Others unpacked camping chairs to set up seats for the guests. No apologies for being late. No visible concern about the time. No chaos-just a cool collected buzz of activity.  

I grinned as three young boys walked by. The oldest, dressed in the official campground bridal party attire, a neatly starched camo shirt and khakis, boasted to his entourage with the pride of an Oscar nominee, "You know," he said poking his chest. "I'm in the wedding."

"You are?" exclaimed one of the younger boys, clearly impressed.

"Yes, I get to serve juice and crackers to Kevin and Becky for their communion."

As the family and friends began to arrive, the event delay was obvious by the set construction still in progress.  Guests took advantage of the slow down by chatting with others, enjoying the sunshine and making new acquaintances. The sun glistened through the tree branches while the children played by the waterside. No one seemed the least bit concerned that the wedding was running an hour behind schedule.

Finally, the preparations were complete. Guests took their seats and the wedding march, an electric guitar version presented by the bride's son, began. The bride radiated in her green and white sequined gown. Vows, rings and communion were exchanged and my husband officially presented the new Mr. and Mrs. Bradford to the adoring audience. As soon as the beaming couple walked the aisle, the children scattered like a recess bell had just rung, resuming their games at the edge of the lake shore. The adults returned to their conversations and lingered to give their congratulations to the bride and groom.

Later as the crowd gathered for the reception, I marveled at the peace and tranquility of the day. The occasion felt more like a relaxing retreat than a formal event with a mixture of obliged family members and strangers. As the bride and groom paused to light their unity candle before cutting the cake, I realized that there was no unnecessary fuss to distract from the ambiance of the day. Traditions are beautiful but when they are so compulsory that they barricade reflection, they no long serve their purpose. Their wedding, the antithesis of tradition, was so unpretentious that it embodied everything traditions stand for. It was flawless. The simplicity made it perfect.

I thought about how many times I have nullified the purpose of traditions in order to appease my own agenda. Traditions are intended to cause us to pause in remembrance. They serve as a reminder of the goodness of God, but when the focus is on the perfection instead of the perfector, our vision is distorted.

In Galatians 1:14, the apostle Paul spoke of his life before he met Christ on the road to Damascus. "I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers." As a persecutor of Christians, this former mass murderer was faultless in revering tradition, but he strived in vain.  His fastidious attention to detail was fruitless. He was a Pharisee.

Jesus rebuked the Pharisees in Mark chapter 7. If I lived back then I might have been among the assembly. The Pharisees followed the "rules" to a T but Jesus accused them of letting go of the commandments of God in order to hold onto the traditions of man. Ouch. I'm guilty too. I've been a modern day Pharisee. But no more. An undemanding wedding reminded me of the importance to embrace the simplicity of life. I want to live an uncomplicated life that clearly reflects Christ. The simple life. How about you? Are you ready? I think the simple life is something we all need to take back in.

Prayer: Father, forgive me for the times when my focus has not been on you. Show me when I am setting aside your commandments in order to observe my own traditions. May my life reflect your goodness.  Amen.