Two legendary leaders died this year.
Both had incredible charisma, with fanatical followers leaping to their every bidding. Both demanded the utmost from themselves and those beneath them, the ones falling short forced to face their wrath. Both engineered the impossible, shaking the world with their accomplishments. The way the world responded to their deaths couldn’t be more different.
One was Steve Jobs, the other was Osama Bin Laden.
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When Osama Bin Laden died, Americans took to the streets to celebrate. Joyous demonstrations spontaneously sprouted at every major city and university. The man who had masterminded the attack killing thousands of Americans was dead.
When Steve Jobs died, Apple users around the world congregated at Apple stores, holding up iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch candles. Mournful posts on Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ slowed the internet to a crawl. The man who had coordinated the production of the world’s most beloved technology devices was dead.
I happen to be both an American and an Apple user. My life was greatly affected by 9/11, and I also have a Macbook Pro and an iPhone. Most importantly, however, I am a Christian. If we looked at these events from that perspective, then what would we see?
Regardless of the terrible or wonderful things these men have done, we must not forget a very important fact: to the best of my knowledge, both died without ever accepting the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior.
That leaves us with one sobering conclusion: They are both eternally separated from God, and must suffer the judgment of hell.
Christians, do we let ourselves get so caught up in temporal things that we lose sight of the eternal fate of the people around us?
As an American, it is true I am grateful for the soldiers that protect my country, and the patience and determination required to finally bring Bin Laden to justice (though I have some misgivings whether or not an assassination was the best way to handle it).
As an Apple user, I am grateful for the amazing devices that I use daily for work, pleasure, documenting important events of my life, and to write blogposts like this one.
As a Christian, I grieve that neither man ever accepted Christ’s wonderful work of redemption, and that they never used their incredible gifts to invest treasure in heaven. May I daily remember both God’s mercy AND justice, and may I share His gospel to everyone that He brings to my path.
