Karma – def. – Destiny or fate, following as effect from cause.
Karma is a belief held by the Hindu and Buddhist religions. Basically, you’re gonna get what you gave, whether good or bad.
In Luke chapter six, Jesus says something similar. Verse 38 -“Give and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” But this is something bigger than just fate or karma. It is a promise from God – a declaration of reality.
At the time when this verse was written, this was in reference to a dry measure. Whatever they were measuring would be pressed down to make room for more. It was shaken so that the particles would settle to allow more to be added. And then it was filled on top of that and would overflow because there was absolutely no room for more. And it would literally pour over into a person’s lap.
Jesus says that the way we give will affect the way that we receive. Whether it’s our time, our money, our resources, our love, if we give generously, we will also receive generously. Maybe not from the person or cause that we give to, but from God Himself. What we get back may not be the exact same thing that we gave, but it’s measure will be above and beyond what we expect or imagine.
Example – If I give my time to someone in my life who has a specific need, they may not be able to give back to me that time. But in it’s place, God sends me a thank you note by giving me the deepest sense of satisfaction and fulfillment in being able to help someone who needed it. Something that I would not have experienced had I not given in the first place. God’s smile and pleasure are my “pressed down, shaken together, running over” experience.
If we choose to be stingy with how we live, if we choose to focus all our time, energy, love and resources on ourselves, then we miss completely the blessing of what doing for and giving to others offers. It’s a choice. But if we rob others of what we can give, we are also robbing ourselves.
We will never be able to outgive God. He is our endless resource of good things. And He’s good on His word. He wouldn’t have said it if He didn’t mean it.
Karma? Nah. A promise. Try it and watch what happens…and beware of the stuff that will be “running over” into your lap 🙂
(Day 3 of “trying new things” month. Today I will go to the Parker Farmer’s Market for the first time! And I get to go with my precious Janay who is here visiting this weekend! Yay!!!!)
