Are We the Sum of Our Experiences?

There’s nothing like being around young kids to make you learn anew the infinite reserves of energy that they hold. I watched my niece (8) and nephew (5) over the weekend. It was fun to hang out with them and good bonding time, but I have to admit on Sunday night I was wiped and in bed by 8:30 pm.I would love to harness even a small portion of their youthful vigor, but if asked if I could go back to a certain age—any age—I would have to say no. Youth may have more energy, a fresh perspective, and enthusiasm, but age gives a solid base to cling to when the world goes crazy. My foundation cannot be shaken because of the experiences I have to draw upon, both good and bad.Picasso said, “We don’t grow older, we grow riper.”I prefer to view aging from Pablo’s perspective. The faith and wisdom we gain through living ripens us into tender and sweet fruit. And, as we grow in the fruit of the spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, and self-control), we are better equipped to handle anything life throws our way.Where I believe some young adults get stuck is in thinking that they are the conglomerate of their experiences. Don’t fall into the categorization trap. Mistakes and successes don’t define a person. They teach us, it’s the best hands-on skills training you can get, but there is no grade. You can’t take it pass/fail. It’s simply for you to grow and reach the next level. Just because I have failed doesn’t make me a failure. Because I have had some success doesn’t make me inherently successful. And, because I have disappointed, it doesn’t make me a disappointment. My experiences shaped me, but they don’t define me.I am a beloved child of God. Created by his hands. Nothing can change that. And so are you. If you’ve made unwise choices you’re ashamed of, leave them at the feet of Jesus. I remember reading Nathaniel Hawthorn’s The Scarlett Letter in school. Hester Prynne was forced to wear the mark of her shame on her shirt. Society tried to define her by her mistake. The Bible conveys a different story about a woman caught in the act of adultery. When the woman was dragged naked before Jesus, He told the Pharisees, “Let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.” The Pharisees all dropped their stones and left. Jesus, then, looked the woman in the eye and said “Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more.”Experiences help us better understand right from wrong. They offer hope because God saw us through, and He is faithful to do so again. They give perspective so that we’re not overwhelmed by the small obstacles anymore. They teach us consequences and show us that God’s plan is better than anything we could have come up especially when it’s not the way we might have gone about it.When we submit our past to God, it gives us hope for the future, because He is the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end, the past and the future.The already “ripened” must also be careful not to lord our wisdom over the younger generations as if we know best. Instead, we need to use the knowledge that we’ve gained from trial and error and hard work as a ladder for the next generations. Help them to climb higher than we did. Teach them to avoid the pitfalls from which we’ve clawed our way out. We also need to glean from their enthusiasm and vigor.With God’s power behind us, we are an unstoppable force.Don’t miss a post! Sign up for my blog by clicking here: Lorri’s blog