Comments on: I LOVE to HATE OJ

By: MICHAELMANASSEH

MICHAELMANASSEH — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:02:08 +0000

Wow good post bro! I think I tend to be too merciful sometimes with people like Oj, bordering naivety.
I think the reason is because he is like me.
I was that guy who was a horrible dude, seemingly hopeless, and without a perceivable future, but The Father chose to use me, for what ever reason.

I recently served on jury duty where I had to send a 21 year old kid away for 30 years, it was the hardest thing I have done in a while!
He was guilty.
I just kept thinking man, he can still change, I want to at least give him the chance to live a decent life. Lets hope when he gets out at 51 years old he has changed.
shalom

By: Sailor Scott

Sailor Scott — Wed, 10 Dec 2008 01:00:21 +0000

Ironically, I recently wrote a blog, Angels Unaware, about the flip side of this cycle – when celebutantes flash their botox smiles and thousand-dollar handbags as symbols of their power and thereby reduce the lauding masses to a pygmy. What is our response to this cultural maxim? How do we prepare our children to counter the assault of self?

It flows in the same OJ vein in that it demands that we define our worth before God alone, and then shape our world-view based on Him as our sole presupposition. We are then free to fail. And to offer some immunity to others as well…

By: alex

alex — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 22:28:59 +0000

Man Pete you nailed it. It’s ALL about redemption & restoration. As David Crowder says: “You make everything glorious”… And we (the church) are probably guiltier than most at forgetting the redemptive power that exists because of the cross…
Wow.

By: Cycleguy’s Spin » Blog Archive » Dealing With the “Broken”

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 19:04:02 +0000

[...] a simply brilliant article on this subject. He called it “I love to hate OJ.” Click here to read it in its entirety. Then I would love to have you come back here to comment and tell me [...]

By: hal

hal — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 15:34:03 +0000

Wow… and ouch!

I think part of the reason that maybe we have a hard time forgiving people like OJ, loving people like OJ, and wanting to serve people like OJ is that we secretly and subconsciously want to believe that somehow we deserve Christ’s love and forgiveness, and therefore people should possess some redeeming quality that makes them deserving of our efforts.

For example, I have observed this attitude in many Believers (at times, myself included) when it comes to people in this country who live on welfare. We politicize arguments about whose job it is–if anyone’s–to care for these people. There is a pervasive opinion that most of these people are lazy and do not want to work. Therefore they don’t deserve a hand-out; they deserve to reap what they sow.

For Believers, however, I am becoming more and more convinced that the real question is not what these people deserve; the real question is what is their worth? I believe that these people–people like OJ and Ted Haggard and people on welfare–have unsurpassable worth in God’s eyes. And to prove this, He sent His son to die for them. THAT’S how much He values them.

Romans 5:8 says,”God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” The most important part of this verse is that it points out Christ died for us WHILE WE WERE STILL SINNERS. That means it wasn’t because of any redeeming qualities that we possessed.

So whenever my pride tempts me to marginalize someone, or to withhold love or good things people because I perceive a lack of effort or worth on their part, I try to remind myself that they mean enough to Jesus that He was willing to die for them. And if Jesus didn’t measure my deservedness before dying for me, I shouldn’t measure other’s deservedness before serving them.

By: This is what I did on 2008-12-08 | Jonathan Hopson

This is what I did on 2008-12-08 | Jonathan Hopson — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 06:09:37 +0000

[...] Shared a link on Google Reader. I LOVE to HATE OJ [...]

By: Diana

Diana — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 05:08:40 +0000

There is a lot about God and how He works that I don’t understand. How can someone can be a habitual murderer, a rapist and worse, and still be forgiven? They’re equal to me? I have a really hard time with that.

They’re Christian, but they’re lousy Christians and lousy people. “There but for the Grace of God, go I” I tell myself that. I try to believe that.

But I don’t understand. There’s a lot that I don’t understand. So I believe God, I trust God. I don’t like it. And I defend God. Even not understanding. And I don’t understand my own behavior. My husband (claims atheist) doesn’t understand me. But I defend God. This causes great conflict in my day to day life.

By: Archie

Archie — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 04:39:52 +0000

Hate is a tough word. I guess I hate the injustice of the world. Really don’t hate the bad guys, but know there is a “payday, someday” for everyone.

Glad God made grace. It’s probably good He decides who He blesses. I keep thinking, all things work together for the good of those that LOVE THE LORD. It gives even OJ a chance.

By: Bill

Bill — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 04:22:44 +0000

My Niece!
My Niece!
And my Niece!

By: britt

britt — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 03:08:11 +0000

I think the reason I sent “OJ is going to jail.. ha ha ha!” emails to friends is his smugness. Of course, I know OJ is God’s beloved child… I guess I just want him off the golf course for a while. ha!
OJ also represents a awful time in NYC for me. His case drove a wedge between my black and white friends, it seemed to unravel all the good that had been building since the 60′s. I had friends thinking white people were walking around saying the n word behind their backs.. and I I was walking around thinking.. ” how naive could you be to not convict on DNA evidence plus a prior violence conviction towards Nicole” I guess I hold him responsible in some way.
I’ll try to figure out a good prayer for OK that can include “and thanks for locking him up for a while”
it’s a start.