Read Matthew 25:14-30

In September 2014, Brooklyn postal worker Joseph Brucato admitted that for nine years he had been hiding mail that he was supposed to deliver to residents of Flatbush. His supervisor became suspicious when he noticed that Brucato’s personal car was filled with letters. The undelivered mail weighed more than a ton.

The servant in today’s parable was entrusted with one talent, and he failed to perform his duty. Instead of acting in his master’s interest, he buried the money entrusted to his care. One talent might not sound like much, but the value of a talent in Jesus’ day was roughly equivalent to twenty years’ wages for an ordinary worker. This fiscal conservatism angered the master, who accused him of dereliction of duty and called him a wicked, lazy servant (vv. 26–27).

This servant’s behavior is a good example of sloth. Although sloth sounds like it might be an extreme form of rest, it is really the opposite. While rest refreshes, sloth drains our vitality and depletes our energy. Rest is a remedy but sloth is injurious, a sin of omission. Sloth fails to do what is right, required, or good. Sloth seems like it will make life easier for us, but Scripture describes it as a path blocked with thorns (Prov. 15:19).

Sloth ignores responsibility and opportunity. This is one reason sloth is so easily tolerated: the benefits of resisting sloth are often invisible because they belong to the realm of what might have been. We might use what was entrusted to us in many ways that bring God glory. But if we succumb to the temptation of sloth we will never know. The servant in Jesus’ parable seemed to think he was acting in his master’s interests by hiding what had been given to him. God’s gifts are to be used, not hidden.

APPLY THE WORD

The master’s judgment may seem harsh to us. But Jesus makes it clear in the parable that what was given to each servant was in accordance with their ability (v. 15). If God has given you a gift, He will also supply the opportunity to use it in His service and for His glory. Don’t hide your gift!

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