Wishing for Karma

“I find myself wishing for karma for them instead of for grace”.

That was a statement my friend made recently as he was asking for prayer regarding a number of frustrations with their landlord, who seemingly blames them for everything and looks for ways to squeeze more money out of them.

Christians generally chafe at the word karma because it connotes eastern religious beliefs. The problem is, most of us actually live as if we believe in karma (at least aside from connections to reincarnation).

While most of us wouldn’t put that word to the feeling, we can all relate to wanting someone to get what we feel they deserve. When someone wrongs us or treats us poorly, we want them to pay for it. We want consequences for their actions. That is really what my friend was saying.

He wanted justice. We all want justice. We want karma in that sense, right?

The problem with justice or karma is we also need to apply it to ourselves.

And rarely do we hold ourselves to the same standard of justice, let alone God’s standard.

We tend to believe God owes us when we are doing things “His way”, feeling like life should look a certain way (our way) if we are being obedient. And generally we feel like we are doing just that as long as we are reading our Bible and avoiding the “major” sins.

I know that is how I treat God, anyway.

The problem is our righteousness is like filthy rags before God (Isaiah). We fail to see the selfishness, pride, and idolatry in our own hearts. Next to a holy God we deserve nothing but destruction and separation from him.

If all we have is karma (or justice) that is what we can expect. Punishment. Separation. Consequences.

Thankfully Jesus experienced that for us.

Thankfully, we can experience grace and not karma, not what we deserve.

That is why my friend knew he should desire grace for his landlord, not karma. Because he himself receives grace from God and it is God who is to judge.

It just got me thinking about how I should experience karma in that way, but I do not because of Christ. And while it is right to desire justice, we should also desire people to know and experience that they do not have to live under karma…because there is no hope aside from grace.