Can I be vulnerable and honest for a sec? Sometimes, I do something really foolish. It happens when life is going smoothly, and it happens when things become difficult. It occurs when my kids experience victories and when they face challenges.
What do I do?
I take credit. For all of it. The good and the bad, the happy and the sad, the beneficial and the harmful, the positive and the negative. I feel responsible for every outcome. When things are thriving, I believe it’s because I’ve done everything right (and perhaps God is blessing it). But if things are struggling, I blame myself (and assume God is judging me).
There are moments when my kids excel in school, sports, or relationships, and I think to myself, “Look at what a good mom I am, cranking out kids like that!” But when those same kids fail to fulfill responsibilities or behave poorly, I despair, believing, “I’m the worst mom on the planet.”
My grade fluctuates from an A+ one day to a D- – – the next. I imagine God watching from His heavenly throne, keeping score, deciding whether to shower me with sunshine or send thunderstorms based on my performance.
But that’s not who God is. Deep down, I know that. Yet, foolishly, I still find myself thinking that way at times. Perhaps you do too.
The gospel teaches us a better way.
Consider this example. Due to this year’s church camp theme and our current sermon series on 1 Samuel, I’ve been reflecting on two individuals from the Bible: David and Jonathan. Jonathan, especially. If our personal outcomes were always directly tied to our performance, do you know what should have happened to Jonathan? He should have become king. He was one of the good ones: godly, brave, loyal, righteous, and faithful. But he didn’t become king. That wasn’t God’s plan. Instead, he died in battle…What the?
We must remember: Karma isn’t real. Life isn’t always fair and balanced. Sometimes things don’t work out as we expect. Sometimes God’s ways don’t always make sense to us. And sometimes we have to trust that God is working out a more perfect plan than we may ever see or understand. Like he did with Jonathan and David. And Joseph. And Abraham. And Jesus. And us.
We ought to be grateful that karma isn’t real. The gospel teaches us a better way.
We all constantly prefer our own desires and opinions to the holy ways of God. We naturally treat God like an enemy–actively fighting against His sovereign will and deserving His discipline and wrath. But the gospel teaches us that we don’t get what we deserve. That’s mercy.
We are little bundles of pride, envy, wrath, sloth, greed, gluttony and lust wrapped in an ugly cloak of selfishness. God in his kindness chooses to cover us in the blood of Christ and decorate us in His robes of righteousness. The gospel teaches us that we get what we don’t deserve. That’s grace.
Now, don’t misunderstand me–I strongly believe in personal responsibility. Living in the Spirit involves self-control and holiness. Discipline, morality, and hard work are all admirable traits. However, not every life outcome is a direct result of our virtues or vices. Karma is not real. The gospel teaches us that the Lord’s plan for us skews toward mercy and grace.
Similar to what happened with David and Jonathan, God is creating a new lineage of royalty for us! It’s not based on our merit but on His. It’s not for our credit but for His. It’s not for our glory but for His. I’m so glad He’s in charge.
“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.”
(1 Peter 2:9-10)
