This morning I sat in my new quiet reading corner contemplating two thoughts slamming simultaneously into my mind and spirit. The messages came from different sources, yet they have coalesced throughout the day to remind me of a profound and important truth:

I am wiser in the second half of my life.

The first message jumped from the pages of Richard Rohr’s book, Falling Upward. In it, he poetically describes the first half of life as a time to construct the “container.” It is when we define our identity, develop our skills and talents and discover who we are meant to be and what we are destined to do. The second half of life is a time for filling that container with experience, perceptions and insights. Contemplating life’s events and considering lessons learned leads to making choices and decisions with wisdom and discernment.

The second was buried deep in my devotional reading in John 8:1-11. Reading the story about the young woman caught in adultery usually convicts me of being hypocritically judgmental–and, of course, it also unveils Jesus’ incomprehensible grace. You may remember how the Scribes and Pharisees gathered the village around a young woman accused of committing adultery. Everyone had a stone in his hand ready to publicly execute this scandalous lady. They asked Jesus his opinion (the scripture says they were “testing” him so they could bring a charge against him.) Surprisingly, Jesus made a haunting declaration: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” It was one of those zingers Jesus was known for, and the accusers left one by one. Today, however, I noticed the first ones to leave were the “older ones.”

But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones… (verse 8; italics mine)

Fascinating. Those who were long-in-the-tooth knew the truth. Having lived a long time, they understood their pasts were filled with sin and shortcomings. They understood the implication of judgment, and they could perceive the outpouring of grace. I think they were wise.

All of the events and experiences blend in the second half of life and have the potential to fill our lives with wisdom and insight. At the very least, we should be able to readily recognize the differences between unbendable judgment and undeniable grace.

And certainly, in this season, we know not to throw stones.

written by Leona Bergstrom, Director, Re-Ignite
Richard Rohr, Falling Upward, published by Jossey-Bass. 2011

Image by CanStock Photo4080684