The Bible gives us many examples of people who got a second chance in life. They had done something terrible, a deed that deserved harsh punishment, yet they walked away without being penalized. Or they had lived a lifestyle that ignored God while putting themselves first. But they had an opportunity to turn their lives around and make some better decisions.

We know that some of the people in the Bible took advantage of their second chance. Paul changed from a person who was obsessed with persecuting the church into one of the most intensely focused kingdom builders the world has ever seen. Peter denied Christ—three times—yet was given the opportunity to preach the gospel message on the day the church began. A woman who had led a sinful life responded to the grace and mercy that Jesus offered by anointing his feet, first with her tears, then with expensive perfume.

However, there are also people mentioned in Scripture who were given a second chance, yet we do not know what they did with it. Did they turn their lives around? Or did they keep on living in rebellion against God?

The woman in John 8:1-11 comes to mind as such an example. She was caught in the act of adultery. The penalty, according to the Old Testament, was for her to be stoned to death. Even though the punishment was rarely carried out anymore, the religious leaders used this case to test Jesus. He famously challenged those who were without sin to throw the first stone. One by one the accusers walked away. Jesus told the woman that he would not condemn her, but that she must leave her life of sin.

We don’t know what she did with her second chance. After being shown such amazing grace and mercy, she might have become one of Jesus’ followers. Or she could have gone back to her illicit affair. We just don’t know.

The rich, young ruler received a second chance. He had lived a life of greed. He cherished his possessions more than anything. When Jesus told him that he needed to sell everything he had and give it to the poor, the young man walked away sad. We might think that was the end of his story; that this decision to walk away from Jesus was his final choice. But maybe he changed his mind later. Perhaps the young man finally came to his senses and realized that eternal riches are much more important than temporal earthly wealth.

Finally, there is the case of Barabbas. If anyone deserved to die, it was Barabbas, who was in prison with insurrectionists who had committed murder in an uprising. But, remarkably, the crowd chose for Barabbas to be released and demanded that the innocent Jesus be killed instead.

You have to wonder what Barabbas did with his second chance. Scripture is silent on the issue. Did he go back to his villainous ways? Or did he eventually accept the forgiveness that was offered when the gospel message was preached? Could it be that Barabbas eventually was saved and became part of the church in the first century? We just don’t know.

I suppose it’s all right to speculate on what these and other people in the Bible did with the second chance they were given by God. However, it’s more important to think about what we will do with our own second chance. For we all are sinners in need of a savior. Thank God we have one in Jesus!

What will you do with your second chance?