Karma and Grace

i.

God has made every one of us with two distinct moralities, battling like two dogs after the same bone.

 The morality of Karma sees every person as unequal.  Some deserve more reward, some deserve more punishment, but all deserve uniquely.  It is the task of Karma to protect, to preserve, to provide equality.

The morality of Grace sees every person as the same.  All have the same requirements to survive, to thrive, and grace gives.  Grace sees lack and responds with compassion and then action.  Grace is charity unhindered.  It is the task of Grace to nourish, to empower, to provide opportunity.

Karma and Grace are in all of us.  We all want to punish those whom we see are the worst offenders in our world.  We all want to assist those who we see are most in need in our world.  We all judge, we all empathize.

All moral arguments are based on who or what deserves which treatment.

ii. 

The sinner stands before us,

Having broken the greatest of all

Having destroyed all sense of decency

Having ruined all that is good.

Karma tells us:

“He deserves nothing good!

He was born in sin,

No good dwells in him

Surrender him to the judgment of God

Get him out of our sight!”

Grace tells us:

“We are no more deserving than he

To grant mercy is to be like God

Forgiveness allows us to be forgiven

Welcome, feed and encourage.”

We receive what we give

iii. 

Employers see the world in terms of karma:

“Work well for me and you will be granted pay.

Work poorly and you will be fired.”

Religions see the world in terms of karma:

“We all deserve God’s punishment.

If others do us wrong, their punishment is rightly deserved.”

Parents see their parenting in terms of karma:

“Obey and you will be granted some limited freedoms.

Disobey and face wrath.

Harm my kid and you will die.”

Governments see the world in terms of karma.

“Break the law and you will be punished.

(unless the law is broken by the lawmakers).”

Jesus sees the world in terms of grace.

“Judge not lest you be judged.”

“The merciful will have mercy.”

“Forgive and you will be forgiven.”

“Welcome the prodigal.”

How would our religion, government, jobs and parenting look different if we are following Jesus?