SLOTH... Waaa! I don't feel like it!

I sat down to write this recent update of my BLOG and as I did... I thought to myself "I don't feel like doing this and considered "procrastinating until another day!"


At Church, we have been in a Message series called "The Seven Deadly Sins". This past Sunday... we dealt with the sin of SLOTH. WOW! What a weird word. Who uses that word...SLOTH in any context?! In fact, we I hear it... I think of a little furry animal who sleeps in the trees! The last thing that comes to mind is the sin of SLOTH. So, what is it?

The dictionary describes it like this:  
Sloth is defined as spiritual or emotional apathy, neglecting what God has spoken, and being physically and emotionally inactive. It can also be either an outright refusal or merely a carelessness in the performance of one's obligations, especially spiritual, moral or legal obligations. Sloth can also indicate a wasting due to lack of use, concerning a person, place, thing, skill, or intangible ideal that would require maintenance, refinement, or support to continue to exist.

Matthew 25:14-30The Message (MSG)

The Story About Investment

14-18 “It’s also like a man going off on an extended trip. He called his servants together and delegated responsibilities. To one he gave five thousand dollars, to another two thousand, to a third one thousand, depending on their abilities. Then he left. Right off, the first servant went to work and doubled his master’s investment. The second did the same. But the man with the single thousand dug a hole and carefully buried his master’s money.

19-21 “After a long absence, the master of those three servants came back and settled up with them. The one given five thousand dollars showed him how he had doubled his investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’

22-23 “The servant with the two thousand showed how he also had doubled his master’s investment. His master commended him: ‘Good work! You did your job well. From now on be my partner.’

24-25 “The servant given one thousand said, ‘Master, I know you have high standards and hate careless ways, that you demand the best and make no allowances for error. I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.’

26-27 “The master was furious. ‘That’s a terrible way to live! It’s criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest.

28-30 “‘Take the thousand and give it to the one who risked the most. And get rid of this “play-it-safe” who won’t go out on a limb. Throw him out into utter darkness.’

      SLOTH is a definition of LAZINESS, but after reading this passage of Scripture... I think it also has to do with an attitude and the way we use what we have been entrusted with. Let me give you an example of what I think is a form of or a description of SLOTH...

There is a Pharmaceutical Company that is manufacturing a drug (Solaris, the MOST EXPENSIVE Drug found in the U.S.)  that is used in treating people with a rare form of deadly blood disorder. The cost of this drug to the individual is $536,629!!!!

A recent study has shown that this treatment could reasonably be manufactured and offered to a person who needs it (to save their life mind you) for 12 weeks for approximately $68-$128 per person!!! 

To me, this is a great example of SLOTH! Where someone obviously has the talent and skill to develop a treatment that will save many lives, but rather than just take that talent and offer it to the world in a way that allows people to feel peace because of their lives being saved... the hoard their talent... they hoard their skill... they hide it away and only let it out for a hideous fee. People WILL die that don't have to because of what is happening.

This is how we know that SLOTH is more than laziness!

You and I have been entrusted with MUCH! God has gifted us and given us talents that need to be used to impact our world for the Kingdom and yet... we find ourselves not using these gifts and waiting for someone else to do it!

Thats why SLOTH can be such a deadly sin... because God has a plan for redemption and restoration of HIS Kingdom! We are all given certain skills and opportunities to participate in that process and when we don't use those gifts... when we allow ourselves to invest in other distractions more than those gifts or... when we use them in an abusive manner... we have sinned!

Let's spend our time getting CLOSER to the Heart of God. When we PRESS INTO JESUS... we think LESS of what we want, what we thing and what we feel... and we mimic the qualities of Christ! We find ourselves GOING BEYOND ourselves and making an IMPACT for the Kingdom of God. 

More of Him... Less of Me... Less SLOTH.