Steve Jobs has always been a fascinating man to me, even before he made me a convert to Mac. In the days following his death I found myself more sad than I thought I would be. A national hero had been taken from us.
Walter Isaacson‘s biography was a very raw look at Steve’s life, what made him tick, and what kept him up at night. The fact that Steve did not control each detail, but rather asked Isaacson to pen “the real story” was an interesting choice. We saw his full hypocrisy, the selfishness, the rage, the lack of humanness at times without Jobs’ lens or spin. It gave the reader a full picture of what pushed him to greatness and at what cost.
What I walked away from the book marveling over is the way he understood the brevity of life and the resulting actions he took from the understanding.
Steve understood what Moses talked about in Pslam 90.
The years of our life are seventy, or even by reason of strength eighty; yet their span is but toil and trouble; they are soon gone, and we fly away. Who considers the power of your anger, and your wrath according to the fear of you? So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.
I’m not a theologian, but I think I understand the simplicity within Psalm 90.
- God has created all things – man included.
- He’s created man and things for a purpose and for a season.
- And verse 12 is the culmination “Teach us to number our days that we might have a heart of wisdom.” Understanding that my time on Earth is not infinite and by measuring our days we are seeking a heart of wisdom.
Steve Jobs understood to the core of his being. Numerous times in the book he talked about the need to do something now because he believed he would die young. As a result Steve thought big, he thought about how to change the world, and ultimately he thought about what his legacy on Earth would be. In isolation these pursuits are honorable.
Understanding his life has caused me to reexamine my own. There are significant goals I’m pursuing and I’m now asking myself again whether or not the daily actions I’m taking will lead that end. Second, after seeing the price Steve paid for his pursuit, I’m left to wonder if it was worth it. Is it worth it for me? And is it worth it for my wife, my kids, my church, my community, etc.?
I will likely have more thoughts on this biography as time goes on. This biography is a worthwhile read no matter your computer preference.
