The Richest Guy in the Cemetery

I've been glued to video.allthingsd.com watching Walt Mossberg and Kara Swisher interviewing Apple CEO Steve Jobs and Microsoft CEO Bill Gates at the D5 Conference. While I've been fascinated by the interview, it was a question asked during the Q&A time by Jesse Cornbluth of headbutler.com that grabbed my attention.

Here's his statement, followed by his question,
"Because you're not the youngest guys in the room any more it's perhaps appropriate to ask you a question about legacy. Bill, even your harshest critic would have to admit that your philanthropy work is planet shaking, incredible, and could be, if you make it, a second act so amazing that it would dwarf what you've actually done at Microsoft (audience applause)."
"Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, if you had to choose a legacy, what would it be?"
Bill answers,
"The most important work I got a chance to be involved in, no matter what I do, was the personal computer ... that's my life's work. It's lucky for me that some of the skills, and resources, but I put skills first (that I was able to develop through those experiences), can be applied to the benefit of the people who haven't had technology including medicine working for them. So it's and incredible blessing to have two things like that."
Jesse Cornbluth also directed a question to Steve Jobs as to whether he envied Bill a bit, the second act that he has. Steve's response was profound,
"I think the world is a better place because Bill realized that his goal wasn't to be the richest guy in the cemetery. Right? That's a good thing."
Yes, it is a good thing. It reminded me of Jesus' words in Mark 8:34-37
"If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it. For what does it benefit a man to gain the whole world yet lose his life? What can a man give in exchange for his life?" (HCSB)
As we serve our Lord and our church family, I believe it is vital that we teach and preach and model this type of perspective on life that views everything we do as an act of offering it up for the Glory of God.

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