Individuals want to know where they stand. Performance reviews, feedback sessions, and emotional responses by others to one’s actions are important vehicles that give indications of one’s status. Even with God, we look for feedback. Karma is often seen as one indication of God’s feedback. Specific events (good and bad) are attributable to God, each an indicator of how God views our lives, maybe even our soul.
The process permeates every aspect of our world. Politicians use all kinds of polls to provide them insights into their status with the voters. The stock market is often seen as the judge for corporate performance. Market share is often the status that many companies want to use, at least until their plans fail.
As important as individual feedback is, I often worry about the mix messages from God that I let consume my heart. As I let God inform me, I find that my assumptions are all wrong!
Factually, there is no evidence that God is out to get either you or me.
Bad things as well as good happen to the deserving as well as the innocent.
My karma is just that, my own. It comes from the outcome of how I exercise my freedom. God is not responsible. God did not force me to do anything. I chose. I am the source behind the outcome.
Events in my life are often the result of a community, known and unknown, exercising their freedom. Many events are unintended consequence of individual freedom playing itself out with others.
God’s voice was blunt; “everyone who believes in this raised-up Jesus is declared good and right and whole before God.” (Acts 13.39) In my journey, Jesus is more than just an individual. He is a person defined by compassion, community, and engaged living. Substitute the words and God’s voice remains. God always reminds us that all good comes from the hand of Love. We are saved by Love. We are nurtured by Love. We are invited to be in Love.
We stand before God in Love. In this, we are perfect.
