Some things to think about:

If I, as a counselor or staff person, speak like one of the great orators when I feel inspired, or even if I should be as eloquent as an angel, but don’t have that heart-deep love for the child to whom I am speaking, I’m just blaring like a trumpet in a junior high band, or banging like a kitchen cook on a pot to make symphonic music.

 Or if I could foretell the future events in the lives of these campers and really understand the answers to the deep questions the children ask, and if I could have such great trust and belief in God that I could move mountains, but really don’t have a sincere love for those to with whom I am supposedly leading; I’m not a great person.  Actually, I’m nothing, less than the smallest or most rebellious child.

 If I give away everything I own to the poor children who come, and if I completely wear myself out, or should die in saving a your life; if I should do all this without love for my campers, it is of absolutely no profit to me.

So what is love?  How can I make my oratory and abilities and sacrifices really pay off and be worth something?

• Love is putting up with the slow camper because he just can’t do any better, or perhaps has never been motivated to try.

•  Love is looking for the little extra things to do or to say to my cabin full of campers.

• When I love my campers, I’m not jealous when they prefer one another’s company to mine.  I’ll just rejoice at the good friendships they are making.

• Because I love these children, I’ll not brag about my abilities or education or experience during cabin discussions.  I’m more interested in them and what they think about.

• Love is speaking to a camper on his level and avoiding the pedestal relationship.

• Even though they are children, love is treating them with good manners and courtesy.  Love is sharing my life and sometimes my things.

• Love is a calm word and an orderly response to four children clamoring for my attention at the same time.

• Love is not keeping track of the wrongs that campers do, because I’ve forgiven them.

• Love is being unhappy when one of my children wrongs another, and love is rejoicing when the truth is known.

• One of the great things about love is that I can overlook the multitude of faults that each child has because I see the good that each child is trying to achieve.

• Love means I can really trust that child, even though she may have let me down several times already.

• Love gives me a vision of all that this precious child CAN be.

And lastly, love keeps me going ‘till the end of camp so that every 
one of my children receives the very best of me.