1Samuel 25, and Karma...But Not Really

Observation: In response to a slight from Nabal, David swears to kill all the men of Nabal's house. But Abigail, Nabal's wife, convinces David to refrain from taking his own revenge, but rather to leave vengeance to God.
Application: It's really common in Western culture for people to co-opt the Hindu concept of "Karma" to talk about bad things happening to people who do bad things in their lifetime. Not only is this a gross misinterpretation of what Karma is, divorced from the larger context of a very rich tradition...but it doesn't always ring true. Sometimes mean spirited, arrogant people succeed over and over again, at the expense of kind and humble ones. But the Christian tradition of nonviolence is rooted in the idea that "vengeance belongs to God," and that we are not to be judge, jury and executioner for anyone who has wronged us. I'm still not sure I think of God as stepping in and "smiting" anyone who caused harm to others. In fact, I'm pretty sure that's not how it usually works. But I do believe that the worldview we create in our own minds and hearts when we attack and belittle others, is a deeply impoverished one. It leaves no room for grace, it allows no sense of humanity for those who cross our paths, or for us. It's a cliché, maybe, but I don't pray for something bad to happen to a bully. Something bad already has, that made them that way. I pray for healing.
God, I pray for justice. May we see the injustice we do to others. And I pray for healing. May those who have been hurt in the past rest in you, that they may not harm others. Amen.