Contexting

Steve Jobs Isn't Steve Jobs Anyway

Investors, Apple fans, and Microsoft's board of directors continue to stew over Steve Jobs' health. Jobs, the CEO of Apple, recently began a six-month medical leave due to undisclosed complications to his health. This has served to fuel rumors about Jobs' future with Apple, and Apple's future without their irreplaceable leader.

I hope Steve Jobs gets well soon.

As a devoted Apple fan and Mac user, I'm a member of the tribe. Somehow, Mac people get more than just a functional and beautiful user experience out of our computers- we get identity. This is bigger than marketing (though it clearly is marketing), bigger than the latest trend. Those of us in the club are smart, unique (just like everybody else!), creative, productive and cool. At least we think we are. (Just try to visit a Mac fanboy site and say otherwise!)

Steve Jobs created the tribe.

Nevertheless, we need to keep in mind that Steve Jobs isn't a real person. No, I'm not one of the conspiracy theorists who believe that Jobs died back in 2004 and that Apple is using a double or clone or robot in his place. But I am realistic about the role one man can play in a thing like this. I know that most of who we believe Steve Jobs to be is projected upon this otherwise normal guy.

Steve Jobs is a pretty private person. Not much is known about his personal life. But that doesn't stop his fans from assuming a lot about him. He gets credit for the hardware, the software, the animated films. He's intelligent, collected, calm, witty, and self-aware. He's a nice-guy multi-millionaire geek hero. He's a genius at design. Brilliant in marketing. He's the type of guy who lives with one foot in the future and one foot in the distant future.

Except he's not.

Jobs works with a team of brilliant people. He's a strong personality. He may be a Buddhist, but he's also been known to blow a gasket every now and then. He can be elitist. He doesn't often mingle with us regular folk. He makes mistakes. He lets us down. Steve Jobs still wears mock-turtlenecks.

The persona of Steve Jobs is projected on him by his fan base and the computer company that built it.

My point is this: Steve Jobs is the creation of the tribe that he created. The tribe decides who gets to be Steve Jobs. Up until this point, that person has conveniently been the actual Steve Jobs. But if, heaven forbid, something should happen to him, the tribe will project the same hero persona on the next guy, too.

Rick Warren is America's Pastor

Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in California, voiced the prayer at the opening of Barack Obama's inauguration ceremony. He did a wonderful job. His was a prayer that promoted peace, unity, repentance, and acknowledgment of God's sovereignty.

Many were concerned with Obama's selection of Warren to deliver the prayer. Some on the left were shocked by his (traditional and mainstream evangelical) opposition to homosexuality. From the right, he has been accused of selling out and watering down the gospel. I say that Pastor Rick is obediently using his influence (in the vein of Esther, Daniel, Nathan, Joseph, etc.) to speak God's truth into the leaders of a nation.

Key parts to Warren's prayer:

He included the Shema Yisrael "...the Lord is our God, the Lord is One" (Deuteronomy 6:4–9, 11:13–21, also Mark 12:29). This is a daily prayer for Judaism. It is also similar to the first part of Islam's Shahada "there is no god but God..."  By reciting this brief line, Warren appeals to the monotheistic aspect of these faiths.

In an apparent reference to the controversy surrounding the evangelical disapproval of homosexuality, Warren prayed for "civility when differing."

He noted the significance of the day (and the long line of faithful men and women who prepared the way) by quoting Hebrews 12:1-2 ; "We know today that Dr. King and a great crowd of witnesses are shouting in heaven."

He acknowledged that America is not a "Christian" nation, saying: "We are united not by race or religion or blood, but to our commitment to freedom and justice to all."

He devoted a large and particularly poetic portion of the prayer to confession: "When we fail to treat our fellow human beings and all the earth with the respect they deserve, forgive us."

He seemed careful to include a personal declaration of faith in Jesus, saying His name in English, Hebrew (Yeshua), Arabic ('Isa), and Spanish (Jesús). Here, Warren makes a bold assertion about the universality of Jesus as savior for people from all religions.

Warren concluded the prayer by reciting the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13). Known to Catholics as the "Our Father," or Pater Noster. This, again, was a unifying approach to what might otherwise have only divided the American people.

I'm proud of Rick Warren for the boldness and gentleness he demonstrated today. I will continue to pray for him as he uses the influence of favor with our new president to speak truth into the leadership of our country.

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Spiritual Responsibility

People across the country are calling for environmental responsibility. They crusade against pollution, waste, and the abuse of natural resources because they believe that these things have terrible consequences for everyone.

Why aren't Christians doing the same thing, but with spiritual abuses? Why don't we raise awareness about the side effects of dangerous things? Why don't we campaign against spiritual irresponsibility? Why don't we take spiritual responsibility for our communities?

If we believe that everything is spiritual, why don't we demonstrate that to the people around us?