What Does a Thief Steal?

The law of Karma exacts certain retribution for crime. How does it work? Like the law of gravity, you violate it at your own risk. Let us use as an example a thief who steals your most prized possessions. For what is the thief punished? The true crime is not simply stealing the possession itself; more important is the peace of mind that the thief takes with him when he leaves your home, carrying your possessions with him. I submit that this is the crime for which the thief pays the greatest price. Possessions have value, but peace of mind is priceless. It cannot easily be replaced. It is a crime that strikes the victim in his or her most precious state of mind; the ability to live in your home in peace and contentment. Bear in mind that the home is the place where you come to be in perfect safety and comfort. You have paid for that home with your work and thrift. It is protected by law from anyone who you do not desire to enter. The thief enters anyway without permission. It is easy to say that the proper home for the thief is a cell, however, many thieves escape jail or worse, they do time for other crimes instead of yours. Not so with the law of Karma. It is immediate and inexorable. Its only vice is that the victim may not be able to see it at work. This is because, like the law of gravity, it is a law that God put into place to make certain that the residual effects of crimes do not escape His judgement. If you believe in God, then you can believe in God's laws. The law of Karma is one of them and it cannot be violated without an equivalent response. If you are a victim, God is not unaware of your suffering. Your prayers will be answered in His own time and in His own way, but they will be answered. No thief in the night can violate your peace of mind without an equivalent payment. He may think he has gotten away with his violation, but he will discover that he has only sentenced himself in God's court.