Don’t Bury Your Gift

“It is rarely counted as evil when we live in neutral. At worst a passive life is only pitied, yet God counts it as a tragedy when we choose to simply watch life rather than live it. Jesus described as wicked the person who leaves his talent unused.”

— Erwin McManus, Seizing Your Divine Moment

When we hear the word wicked, most of us think of the darkest sins—murder, abuse, corruption, perversion. We reserve “wicked” for the most appalling acts of evil. But what about the quieter sins that slip under the radar? Gossip, selfishness, jealousy, dishonesty—we rarely call these wicked. And what about passivity—the choice to do nothing with the blessings and gifts God has entrusted to us? Is that wicked?

Jesus challenges our categories in the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14–30). In the story, two servants invest what their master gives them and double the return. The master praises them with those famous words: “Well done, good and faithful servant.”

But the third servant buries his gift out of fear. He chooses safety over risk, passivity over faithfulness. And when the master returns, his response is shocking: “You wicked and lazy servant!”

Why such harsh words?

I believe it is because refusing to use what God has given us is not a neutral act—it’s rebellion. It reveals that our supreme allegiance is with ourselves and not with King Jesus and his Kingdom.

Remember, God created us for more than simply living “moral” lives. He has entrusted us with talents, time, resources, and opportunities—not to keep them hidden, but to use them for advancing the Kingdom and the good of others. To bury our gifts is as tragic in God’s eyes as evil actions, because it wastes the very purpose of our lives.

God calls us to action. To love boldly. To serve generously. To take risks for His Kingdom. Everything we’ve been given—our skills, our money, our influence, our moments—are tools to help others encounter Jesus.

And when we live this way, we put ourselves in the place to hear those words every follower of Jesus longs for:

“Well done, good and faithful servant. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:23)

Don’t bury your gift. Use it.



Paul’s Ponderings is a blog dedicated to reflecting on Scripture and encouraging believers to live out their faith with love and purpose.