What did you think of your adolescent years? Wonderful? Painful? Perhaps too long ago to even have a real opinion? How about your own children? What was it like to guide them? Perhaps you are in the middle of it right now? Maybe as an uncle or aunt with nephews and nieces?

Adolescence is a time of transition, moving from once stage of life, working through what is in many ways an awkward stage, sometimes known as liminal space, and finally coming out on the other side. Hopefully fully intact with not too many scars.

In my travels, I have learned more about how some cultures continue to give great focus to this stage of life. They are very intentional in teaching and guiding to help boys become men and girls become women. They don’t assume that they can figure this out on their own. They also don’t allow boys to become men and girls to become women until it is time. They don’t let the lines blur. This is very different from my North American culture. In reality, it feels like boys and girls want to dress and act as though they have already transitioned and older people want to transition back and just play with no responsibilities or accountability. But let’s leave my opinion on that for now.

At my age (57), as I am privileged to be coming alongside my age mates to guide them through a process to determine what they may be called to do in the next season of their lives, I have discovered what the Hindu’s call our “second adolescence”. That just as important as it was for children to be guided through a process to move from childhood to adulthood, it may be just as important to guide adults into their second-half of life.

Arthur Brooks, in his best selling book “From Strength to Strength”, based on Psalm 84:7, talks about fluid and crystalized intelligence introduced in 1963 by Raymond Cattell. In essence, fluid intelligence peaks at 40 and then declines and it is our job then to choose to not fight the process of decline but to step onto the crystallized intelligence curve that can carry us into our 70s and beyond. Otherwise we will simply become frustrated with life, perhaps do stupid things to relive the “glory days” of our 20s and 30s, and miss out on the beauty of what could be even more impactful years. 

Robert Clinton, from Fuller Seminary, has done similar research and talks about our need to move from our “Preparation Years” and move to our “Contribution Years”, with this typically happening between ages 40 and 50ish. Unfortunately, as he suggests, the majority of people don’t make the shift and simply choose to coast out of life. And in the North American context, our wealth allows many to do just that – another vacation, another home renovation, another hobby to try, another dinner with friends – yet nothing intentional to live a life bigger than ourselves, leaning into the beauty of the Kingdom of God.

I’m not sure why this is the case? For sure our cultural narrative is to “live the good life”, so we have been discipled to do just that. Additionally, the thought of doing the work to pass through a time of liminality, not completely sure of what is next, can be daunting – we’re just too old to do this, we muse. It is easier to stay with what we know.

Yet as followers of Jesus, I don’t believe we have a choice. And in reality, choosing to move through a process that brings us through the transition to a new season, and finding the joy of God on the other side is nothing to take lightly. 

The key will be this – do I believe that leaning into a “second adolescence” is worth it? Is allowing the Spirit to guide me through it going to bring me joy that nothing else will bring? Can I trust God with this?

That’s a question you’ll need to decide to answer.

Yet for me, I want nothing more than to “follow the scent” as was articulated in Eugene Peterson’s biography, to wherever God leads. How about you?

For the kingdom

I grew up in a churchgoing family. In fact, both of my parents also grew up in churchgoing families. I attended Sunday school, and then the service Sunday mornings and then the service Sunday evenings. I went to a boys club on Wednesday evenings and then weekly youth groups through high school. And I can say, overall, I enjoyed it. I wasn’t always the most obedient guy, (my knee was squeezed on numerous occasions for fidgeting in church, and my father often walked in the basement with me during the service) but I only have positive memories.

For my church upbringing, bible stories were a big part of our learning. We read them, talked about them, did crafts, and memorized some verses within them. In youth we did skits that reflected the stories. And on and on it went.

Growing up, I remember that my mother read through her bible every year as did my father. As such, I have personally read through it many times as well, sometimes using plans other times simply reading large sections and working my way through it. I’m currently reading through the book of Acts over and over, to immerse myself in the activities of the Jesus followers after his resurrection.

Beyond this, I also enjoy the many resources available through The Bible Project. bibleproject.com  The podcast is my ongoing school for learning as well as classroom.

In all of this, I can say that I love the stories found in the bible. They are intriguing, encouraging, sometimes outright strange and confusing. They evoke emotions – anger, laughter, disbelief.

But a few years ago it dawned on me – do I only like to read the stories of the bible, or am I actually willing to live the stories of the bible?

Abraham to go and leave everything to a place yet to be shown. What amazing faith. But me?

Joseph ruling over Egypt – amazing leadership. But to take the circuitous route through prison?

Daniel and the lion’s den – go Daniel go. Me in the lion’s den?

Nehemiah asking permission to rebuild the temple.

Stephen in Acts being stoned for preaching.

We could go on and on. Great stories. They preach amazingly. Lessons for life. 3 points.

But the question still remains: Do I want to be these characters? To live the lives they were called to live?

I love reading Hebrews 11 and the faith of these people, perhaps you do as well. Some received beauty in it all, others did not. Still ,all people recognized for their faith. So again, do I simply want to read about their lives or am I willing to live their lives?

Learning to follow Jesus is exactly that. To follow wherever he may lead. When he asked us to “deny ourselves, take up our cross daily and follow”, this is exactly what he meant. I shouldn’t try to nuance my way out of this, to make it sound more palatable and comfortable to the life I want to create for myself.

So I continue to ask myself as I read the stories of the bible. Read it only, or willing to live it? How about you?

For the kingdom.