October 06, 2011

Steve Jobs, life's work and eternity~Guest Post

My high school friend and sister in Christ, Amy wrote this. A wonderful perspective on what really matters.

I had trouble sleeping last night and for some reason I couldn't get Steve Jobs out of my mind. I sit here typing this on one of three mac's in my house. There are multiple ipods of various generations and we have forever drooled over the iPhone and the iPad. There is no denying that Steve Jobs has had a major impact on our daily life. His work altered how things are done, and the quality of the completed project.

But now that he is no longer here, I wonder...

Did he know? Yes, "death is a certainty we all share" but did he know that it's not the end? I find it sad that one can affect hundreds of millions of lives and yet, it can mean nothing in the end. It brings it home to me...that in the end no good thing done on earth has the power to save the soul.

In the courtroom..as he stands before judgement, what will he say? "I improved the quality of life for millions" '

How will he respond the the Accuser who stands and reminds him of every nasty word or deed ever done in his entire life?

Will he cry out for Jesus?

Will Jesus have known him?

Will anything done while he was here matter at that point?

The first three questions, I cannot answer, only Steve Jobs can.

For the latter...

I think not.

There is a lesson here for me, I think.

Steve Jobs work will continue to affect our lives, there is no doubt about that. But it's not about us that I wonder...It's about him.

I am reminded that in the end, only one thing matters...

JESUS.

Now, I am not silly enough to think that this means that we all sit around and do nothing, that is not what I am implying at all. But what I do mean, and am trying to express, is that what does all our hard work get us in the end if we have the wrong motives, or maybe even the right motives, but no Jesus?

I want my life to mean something to future generations, that's true. But more than that, I want to spend my eternity with my LORD. So, my work here may not be as glamorous or as far reaching (at the moment anyway) or earn me some huge income, or any at all for that matter. But I know, that even though I have missed the mark (by a lot) more times in my life than I care to count, that when my time here is spent,  I have not done my work in vain.

Like I said earlier, I don't know what it was that Steve Jobs believed. But his death has me thinking of the bigger picture...and I suppose that's good!

4 Modest Musings:

Heather Joy said...

I was just thinking this very thing last night.
"You can't take it with you when you go."
It's sad. And yet, it does make you stop and think....Do I know HIM?

amothersheritage said...

So true!

Michelle G said...

Very good! I have been struggling with this too as I see all of the little cartoons with Mr. Jobs standing at the gates of heaven. From what I've read, he was a buddhist. Did he know Jesus? I hope so!

Beth said...

I'm having my high school students (a dozen of them) read this. Thank you for sharing :)