What Decade of Your Life Will Be Your Best?

I recently read, “The best decade of your life will be your seventies, the second best will be your eighties, and the third best will be your sixties.” That quote is from Pete Scazzero, a prominent author, pastor and founder of the Emotionally Healthy Discipleship ministry. Needless to say, I had to read that quote a second time, as well to give it some further research and thought.

Now I’m not here to defend Pete Scazzero’s claim, nor do I think it was meant to be a universal claim. I will say that in many ways, so far it’s true for me, but then again, at 76, I’m only half way through that 30-year period of life.

Whatever the case, it got me thinking about what scale or unit of measurement he used to rate those time periods. I was really trying to seek understanding rather than have a debate or argument. By the way, that’s something I learned in my seventies and it’s made my life better. It would be easy for a lot of people to throw stones at his quote. I chose to go a different route; after all, if the seventies were the best for Pete, maybe they could be the “best” for others—including those I know and care about. Maybe I could learn something new. Maybe I would find something else to appreciate. Heaven knows, I’ve got a long enough list of things I’m tempted to be disgruntled over.

Thanks to some of Eric Camfield’s Altar retreats during my early seventies, I finally realized how focusing on items on that disgruntled list has the effect of robbing me of peace and contentment, and of appreciation for what I do have. The Altar retreats helped me focus on the health of my soul –and for that also I am forever grateful.

I did find out that by Pete’s standards he didn’t mean happiest years (though I expect that to), but primarily our richest and most joyful and helpful-to-others years. Maybe Pete’s statement when given a little context and thought isn’t as crazy as it originally appeared.

Sometimes, I think most of my life before I turned seventy was just a long learning period—and boy was I a slow learner. I paid dearly for my lessons, but that’s ok. I can’t believe how many years it took to find purpose and meaning in my life. I can’t believe how many years it took me to be generous and to stop living only for what’s in it for me. I can’t believe how many years it took me to develop a Biblical worldview instead of a politically-correct worldview. I can’t believe how long it took me to learn to listen—really listen. I can’t believe how long it took me to learn that I don’t always have to be right. In other words, not have to prove to someone else that I’m right —even when I believe in my heart that I’m right.

I can’t believe how long it took me to learn the importance of friends and the importance of being careful about with whom I spend time. The fellowship I discovered in FATC helped me find that.

I can’t believe how long it took me to really learn that my choices have consequences—but, I don’t get to choose the consequences. And, that often my choices can have really detrimental consequences effecting those I love and those around me.

You probably heard the line, “in my mind, my life flashed before me”. It’s spoken in movies and stories just after a person experiences a near-death encounter. Lately, memories of some of the worst, most sinful, hurtful, self-centered things I’ve done in my life, are popping into my mind. I’m not sure where they are coming from, but I decided that’s not what’s important. Maybe it took me seventy some years to learn to use those memories to glorify God—even though I can guarantee you that was the furthest thing from my mind when I committed these terrible things.

It took me this long to learn to praise God after every one of these thoughts, because he chose to love me and save me even though he knew about every one of these terrible things I did.

I’ll close with this famous quote from Tim Keller, “To be loved, but not known is comforting, but superficial. To be known, but not loved is our greatest fear. But to be fully known and truly loved is, well, a lot like being loved by God. It’s what we need more than anything”.

I don’t know which decade will be my best, and who knows at the end I may be too senile to give you a coherent answer. What I do know is every day I walk with Christ is a great day. Every day he lets me participate in his Great Commission and helping him build his Kingdom here on earth is a great day. And as I get older, the more I appreciate the undeserved gift it is.

What about you? What do you think? And for those guys not yet 60 or 70, hopefully it adds some perspective. Feel free to share your thoughts here on the FATC FORUM. Remember our motto: It’s not just about the fly fishing.

John Muckerman

FATC Inspirational and Leadership Lead