Saturday Devotional and Food for Thought about...

                                ...Reaping…Sowing…Dealing

“Karma” is the new phrase of choice, but as a concept, it has been around for centuries. Though out of style in common use today, the phases “they got what was coming to them,” or “they had it coming” are common variations of the “you get what you deserve” concept. “Karma” is really just a new age, twenty-first century reinvention of Galatians 6:7, that “a man will reap what he sows.”

Recently, one of my friends was horribly insulted by someone. It was an insult of such proportion that we were astounded anyone drawing breath was capable of it. Everyone who witnessed it and everyone who heard of it (and who didn’t hear of it?) agreed my friend had every right to verbally grab a machete and lop off the offenders head.

So, like spectators at an auto race waiting for the inevitable crash, we waited for “karma” to kick in, for the offender to reap what she sowed. We all knew she deserved it and had it coming, and coming big.

The offenders fall was enormous, the emotional crash heard round the world by virtue of tweets, texts and postings. A cyber-space happy dance was celebrating the “karma” of it all. Yeah, she got what she deserved. And I was right there, dancing along with the rest, doing my best fist pump and high fives in the thrill of vindication.

Until I decided to read that old sowing and reaping Bible verse that sparked it all, just to see how the real “karma” worked. So, I read all of Galatians 6 to get the full perspective.

Smack! The shovel hit my head.

 


Galatians 6:7 is not written for the offender but for how the believer responds to the offender! I groaned as I read through it again and felt a lesson coming that I really did not have the slightest desire to learn.  I looked at the verses in different Bible versions. The Message Bible explained it best.

If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out. Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law. If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived.

Make a careful exploration of who you are and the work you have been given, and then sink yourself into that. Don’t be impressed with yourself. Don’t compare yourself with others. Each of you must take responsibility for doing the creative best you can with your own life.

Don’t be misled: No one makes a fool of God. What a person plants, he will harvest. The person who plants selfishness, ignoring the needs of others—ignoring God!—harvests a crop of weeds. All he’ll have to show for his life is weeds! But the one who plants in response to God, letting God’s Spirit do the growth work in him, harvests a crop of real life, eternal life.

As usual, God’s perspective was at opposites with the “karma” of our human nature. Jesus told us to pray for our enemies. Who really wants to do that? We relate more to the country song where the singer prays his ex-girlfriend’s brakes to give out at the top of a hill. Now that’s a prayer we’ve all wanted to pray at one time or another. 

But now I have a decision to make. Will I enjoy the triumph, rolling around in this glorious “karma” mud bath. Or will I do something completely against my nature, something no one will understand or support. 

Will I forgive?

Forgiveness is what God instructs us to do and expects us to do. In Matthew 5, Jesus said,

 “You’re familiar with the old written law, ‘Love your friend,’ and its unwritten companion, ‘Hate your enemy.’ I’m challenging that. I’m telling you to love your enemies. Let them bring out the best in you, not the worst. When someone gives you a hard time, respond with the energies of prayer, for then you are working out of your true selves, your God-created selves. This is what God does. He gives his best—the sun to warm and the rain to nourish—to everyone, regardless: the good and bad, the nice and nasty. If all you do is love the lovable, do you expect a bonus? Anybody can do that. If you simply say hello to those who greet you, do you expect a medal? Any run-of-the-mill sinner does that.” Message Bible

For me, there is really no choice to make. Each day I wake up glad God does not give me what I deserve. Each day I am thankful that by His mercy, grace and love I do not have to live with my own “karma.” I may have it coming, but God didn’t send it. He chose to forgive me and, even though it is not always easy or enjoyable, I choose to follow Him.

Jody Ward