Timothy Leary, Steve Jobs, and Two Anonymous Pastors
Thursday, April 24, 2025
“Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.” – C.S. Lewis
It continues to flabbergast me to no end.
As humans, we are (usually) given 70-80 years to make a mark in life and yet, how many people waste those few precious years pursuing things that really don’t matter.
For instance, some people follow the advice of 1960s guru Timothy Leary, a psychologist and author who was a strong proponent of psychedelic drugs including LSD and magic mushrooms. President Nixon once called Leary, who was arrested 36 times, “the most dangerous man in America” because he told his followers to “turn on, tune in, and drop out”. Married five times and divorced four times (his first wife committed suicide as did his only daughter), Leary was fascinated by space exploration and cryogenics. He was also a self-proclaimed Pagan, whose last words – spoken with a clenched, then unclenched fist – included the questions “Why?” and “Why not?”
Sounds like “wasting away again in Margaritaville” to me. How very sad…
Other people spend their time on Planet Earth in a mad dash to accumulate as much wealth, power, positions, and possessions as possible. And then, when it’s all said and done, they hand those titles and deeds – as well as every other asset – over to someone else. That’s what happened to Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. His $10.2 billion net worth couldn’t keep pancreatic cancer from claiming his life at age 56, and now Tim Cook runs the company.
Then there are the two pastors whom I highlighted in yesterday’s devotional message. Between them, these two faithful men of God have 90 years of pastoral experience, serving in the same small churches year after year. I can only imagine the rewards that are stored up for them in heaven.
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21 (NKJV)
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Enter into the joy of your master!’” Matthew 25:23 (BSB)
- Rev. Dale M. Glading, President
