Passion in the Theology of Steve Jobs

So, what is interesting is that you delve into every person's theology, even if the book you are reading is a perfectly "secular" book. Since I think God is in control of everything, and Jesus cares about everything, and the Holy Spirit is at work in everything, even the most "secular" thing I think is perfectly "spiritual" and can be related to the gospel. Take the book I'm reading now, for instance.

Steve Jobs is the guy who co-founded Apple. And when Apple was crashing was brought back (after being fired from the company) and saved the company through innovations that have changed our world, including the iPod, iPad, and Macintosh computer.

In Carmine Gallo's The Innovation Secrets of Steve Jobs this guy looks at the things that made Steve Jobs so successful. Right now, in particular, Mr. Gallo is talking about how passion, doing what you are passionate and excited about, is a main factor in success.

Now several times in the book there are various quotes about how there will often be setbacks. A recognition of the Genesis 3 curse on work? Maybe. There is a recognition of the frustration of work, how often what you do to make a living and what you have a passion for might not line up for a time, but you have to keep striving for it, and doing what you love, because only that will really drive you. It recognizes the beauty of hard work. And that through keeping hope, through working through things, eventually, there is work you love, created, frustration, not being able to make money at it, frustration, fall, and eventually, through hard work towards the thing you love, success, redemption. Very gospel, really.

But, of course there is a dark side to all this. Now, I will assume that if asked if it will always work out if you follow this formula, Mr. Gallo would probably say that, of course there are no guarantees in life. Or maybe not. I don't know. But the book, anyways, seems to say that really, as long as you are doing what you love, it will all work out. So, it really doesn't take entirely into account the fall, and the frustration of work. Because sometimes you really are just stuck doing something you don't love, for the rest of your life.

So what can save us? What is the answer? How can we love what we are doing, or at least, bear with it, and not just be utter failures because we don't have passion? Well, I think here we must once again look to the gospel. If we have a passion for Jesus Christ, then we will be looking to build the Kingdom wherever we go. Which means in our workplace. And a big part of that will be working as unto the Lord (Colossians 3:23-24: Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. ESV)

I realize there is much more depth to drawn out of this, but speaking of jobs where I have to work unto the Lord, I have to go be a produce stocker at Homeland tomorrow, and need to go to bed, so, pray that I would be a godly man, who honors Christ, and honors said passage above, because I don't have very much passion for stacking potatoes.