FIRST HALF
Life of Belief, person moves from spectator, through accepting Christ to seeker, and then develops spiritual maturity (hearer of the Word).
We are hunter-gathers, doing our best to provide for our families, to advance our careers, and to pass our beliefs and values on to our children. We develop our faith and learn more about the unique way the Bible approaches live.
The first half of life has to do with getting and gaining, learning and earning. Most do this in the most ordinary ways: Getting an eduction, entering the work force, starting a family, buying a house, etc. Few leave time in the first half for listening to God.
SECOND HALF
Life of Charity (Love), person finds ministry in the church, becomes a follower, then becomes a kingdom builder by doing his mission in the world (doer of the Word). The second half is about good works. It is not at all separate from the first half, which is about belief, but grows out of that belief and gives it integrity. The life of faith must become a life of individual responsibility.
The second half, when the pressure lets up, there seems to be more time to do something about the faith we’ve developed.
More risky than the first half because it has to do with living beyond the immediate. It is about releasing the seed of creativity and energy that has been implanted within us, watering and cultivating it so that we may be abundantly fruitful. It involves investing our gifts in service to others – and receiving the personal joy that comes as a result of that spending. For the second half to be better than the first, you must make the choice to step outside of the safety of living on autopilot. You must wrestle with who you are, why you believe what you profess to believe about your life, and what you do to provide meaning and structure to your daily activities and relationships.