Steve Jobs had it right!

My Belief

Last week when Steve Jobs, the CEO of Apple and designer of the iPhone/iPod, past away I heard a very interesting speech that he had given. He was the key note speaker at a Yale graduation ceremony a few years ago and the clip the news played was intriguing. Mr. Jobs conveyed the idea to the Yale grads that the reason he was so successful was because he had found a way to focus and drowned out all fear and criticism. Steve knew he was sick and would not live a long life. He knew his years were numbered and that he wanted to do the most with the time he had left. Jobs said that when he compares everything against the reality of death, every bit of doubt fades. He was not afraid to DO because he did not want to waste what time he had left.

As a follower of Jesus I want to have a perspective very similar to this. I know that time on this earth is short. I will either die or be raptured by Christ in the next 50 years or so. Maybe even sooner. I know that God wants me to give him my all with the short amount of time I have left. I know that I am rapidly racing toward a departure from this earth into a glorious existence with God. When I step foot into the presence of Jesus my hope is to hear “Well done good and faithful servant”. In this context I know death is coming, but I am not afraid of it at all. I want to be focused here and now to take any opportunity to share Jesus with who ever God brings in my path. I want to be a servant to my wife, family and friends. While Steve Jobs did not know Jesus and was only motivated by his coming end, I look forward to an amazing hope after this life. All of the noise and criticism fades away in the reality of Jesus not only in death. Who cares what people think of me or say about me. Soon my time will end and I only care about what Jesus says about me.

Scripture

^{2Cor 5:8-10}

⁶ Therefore we are always confident and know that as long as we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord. ⁷ For we live by faith, not by sight. ⁸ We are confident, I say, and would prefer to be away from the body and at home with the Lord. ⁹ So we make it our goal to please him, whether we are at home in the body or away from it. ¹⁰ For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.

Application for Life

One of my favorite quotes from pastor Lon Solomon is, “When your not afraid to die, then your not afraid to live”! Wow…think about that. If you are in Jesus, nothing can ever hurt you. Even if someone took my life, my situation only gets better. I desire to pray HARD that the Holy Spirit may fill me up and use me for God’s Glory. That I can be a light in a dark world. That I can speak boldly about Jesus. My heart aches for people who don’t have Jesus when time is up. Please Lord let me have a perspective that is urgent like Steve Jobs. Not because of death, but because of a life that has conquered death. Let me focus because time is short, and let me rejoice because my end is near!