As I write, the O. J. Simpson saga dominates the media and is the subject of conversations everywhere. Legally Simpson is innocent until proven guilty, but most people believe the evidence against him is overwhelming. I’ve heard a number of responses to his situation that cry out for an eternal perspective. Here are some things we need to come to terms with:
1.
The difference between image and character.
I’ve repeatedly heard people voice their utter amazement that “a man like O. J. Simpson” could be involved in such a thing. But what makes us think we know people just because we see them on TV? Image is what you are on a football field, in a movie, and in Hertz commercials. Character is what you are in the dark, when no one but God is looking.
What are the traits it takes to get and stay famous? In many cases the answer includes a mammoth ego, self-absorption, and an impassioned craving for public approval. The very traits that compel people to pursue fame both reflect and produce a private inner life lacking in substance and integrity.
Anyone can look good in front of an audience, or even in front of their friends. It’s an entirely different thing to stand naked before God, to be known as you truly are on the inside. “Do not consider his appearance or his height... The Lord does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” (I Samuel 16:7)
2.
The difference between a hero and a celebrity. 
Fame is one thing. Virtue is another. The two aren’t even remotely related. In fact, the more famous you become the harder it is to cultivate and retain virtue. Celebrities are just people with good looks, talent, money, and the ability to draw attention to themselves. Heroes are people who stand courageously for what is right, often against the tide of public opinion, and at great cost to themselves.
People like Pete Rose, Sylvester Stallone, Magic Johnson, Dan Rostenkowski, and an endless parade of other famous people have proven long on image and short on character, just as many faithful servants of God have been short on image and long on character.
Consider Simpson’s history over the last decade. Is any man a hero if he dumps his first wife, sleeps around, marries another woman, then repeatedly beats her up, resulting in desperate calls to the police nine different times? If, while his wife cowers bloody and half naked in the bushes, he brags to police he’s sleeping with two women and didn’t want this one anyway? Even if he didn’t commit the murders, why weren’t immorality and divorce and abandonment and arrogance and wife-beating enough to change people’s opinion of him earlier? Because he had a nice smile?
When you and I stand before God and give an account of our lives, the ability to run with a football or manage a company or write a magazine article will mean nothing. Our dependence on Christ to cleanse us of our sins and empower us to a new way of living will mean everything.
3.
The difference between physical abilities and spiritual integrity.
Physical skills are a combination of genetics and training, neither of which requires integrity. Galatians 5 tells us about human nature. Read the following and consider how many of these attitudes and actions characterize O. J. Simpson, others, or perhaps even yourself.
“The sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other... The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”
In contrast, the following verses say, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and selfcontrol. ...Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited...” The components of integrity such as gentleness, peace, love and self-control are exactly what Simpson—and our society as a whole—so desperately need. But the ultimate source for them is not good looks, muscles, speed, or notoriety, but the indwelling Spirit of God.
4.
The difference between a self-made man and a God-made man.
We value a man who is independent. God values a man dependent on Him. We value a man who marches to his own beat. God values a man who marches to His beat. We value a man who is his own authority, who makes up the rules as he goes. God values a man who submits, who follows the ancient rules made by Another. We value a man who believes in himself, who makes himself great. God values a man who believes in Him, recognizing He alone is great.
5.
The difference between high self-esteem and accurate sell-esteem.
People
are saying, “I can’t believe O. J. is capable of such
evil.” Of course he is. So are you. So am I. We’ve
fallen for the old lie, propagated by secular humanism and
modern psychology, that man is basically good. But we’re
terribly arrogant and naive to believe this. Read Romans 1-3 and
see what God says about the human condition. Look at human history.
Look around you. We’re all capable of horrendous evil.
The man who thinks he is incapable of adultery and crimes of
hatred and passion is not on guard against them, and does not
call upon Christ to save him from them.
There’s
a chilling book by Robert Lifton, The Nazi Doctors. As a
psychologist he interviewed the Nazi doctors and their
acquaintances. He hoped to discover what made these “monsters”
tick. What he discovered was frightening—they were just ordinary
men who given the opportunity did horribly evil things. It’s
only when we realize the Nazis, Jeffrey Dahmer, O. J. Simpson and
we ourselves are all of the same stock that we come to terms with
our capacity for evil.
Those
who idolized O. J. Simpson, those who held signs on the freeway
saying “Go O. J.” and “Run, Juice”
exemplified the sort of esteem O. J. had come to have for himself.
He believed he was great. That he was above it all. That he didn’t
have to play be the rules. That he could get away with it. (A
Hollywood attorney-to-the-stars said, “Celebrities make the
most impossible clients because they have no boundaries
whatsoever.”)
One
of the cardboard signs outside Simpson’s home said “Save
the Juice.” O. J. needs to be saved all right, but not from
the police or jail or even execution. He needs to be saved from
himself, from his own sinful nature. So do we all. The good news
is, that’s why Jesus came, and that’s what Jesus does.
He can save O. J. Simpson, but only the real Simpson, not
the hero, not the image, not the hype, just the bankrupt sinner.
And he can and will save anyone else who realizes his moral
bankruptcy and bows his knees in repentance.
6.
The difference between Hollywood values and true values.
The
day after Simpson’s “chase” on the L.A. freeways,
I was attending Promise Keepers in Portland, with nearly 30,000
other men. Here were men gathered to uplift the very values and
enablement for righteous living that O. J. Simpson so desperately
lacked. Men learned about God, about taking responsibility, about
loving and serving their wives and children.
The
event went by in Portland largely unnoticed by television news
that night. The men at Civic Stadium couldn’t compete with O.
J. All they did was commit themselves to being faithful in their
homes and churches and communities and society, to keeping
sacred promises in the daily grind of life. These men want to
cumulatively build a track record of faithfulness to God and
family. They wish to become heroes, if to no one else, to their
own children. Small acts of daily faithfulness don’t make
the news. But they matter much more than what does.
Men,
if we follow through with those commitments made on a day the
nation focused on the downfall of football’s greatest
legend, then it will prove infinitely greater than anyone ever
did on a gridiron. It will give our children, our churches and
our society an example to follow unmatched by that of any
celebrity. It will produce a life enthusiastically applauded in
the final day by the only audience that ultimately matters...the
Audience of One.
RANDY
ALCORN is an author and speaker and the director of Eternal
Perspectives. (See review of Randy’s new novel starting on
page 15 and continued below.) This article was excerpted from his
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