This week on Geek Devotions, Dallas dives into the strange world of JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures! What comes from it is an interesting conversation about redemption, and if there’s anyone who doesn’t have the opportunity to have it.

Recently we started to watch a very bizarre show. The show… “JoJo’s Bizarre Adventures!” We’ve yet to finish the series, but the essential story so far is as follows. JoJo’s father mistakes a man’s act of villainy for an act of compassion. As a result, he believes that he owes that man a debt of gratitude for the rest of his life. Flash forward several that man’s son, Dio, comes to have that debt repaid. His father has died, and he needs a home. JoJo’s father takes Dio in as a son. Here’s the rub…

Dio was raised in a sad, abusive situation. The ending result is that Dio is corrupt and sees the world in a very skewed way. JoJo, however, was raised with a loving father who did his best to teach him honor and manners.  When Dio moves in, he makes it clear that his goal is to destroy JoJo and take all that he has, for himself.

On the surface, one could make a case for nature vs. nurture. At the same time, we could easily discuss the idea of “raise up a child in the way in which he should go, and when he is old he will never depart from it.” (Proverbs 22:6) However, that’s not where Dallas went with it this week. While yes, it does come down to the point that JoJo sees no hope of redemption for Dio, Dallas wonders if there is hope for Dio.

In Mark 10 Jesus asks his disciples a pretty interesting question. How difficult is it for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God? He answered that it’s easier for a camel to enter the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom. This was obviously shocking but why? Why is this the case?

It’s a not a matter of rich people being inherently greedy or evil, as some have suggested. The reason is that some have allowed their status to become their identity. In this episode, Dallas proposed that it’s not just difficult for a rich man, but also for those who are poor. Why? Become some, not all, have allowed their situation in life to become their identity. They’ve taken on a victim mentality that supersedes their identity in Christ. Similarly, Dio has allowed his life situation to define him.

So where’s the hope? The hope is found in verse 27 right after the disciples asked Jesus who could be saved.

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God.
Mark 10:27

It is challenging for a man, on his own, to change his mindset, change his habits, and honestly walk in what God has for him. But if we submit ourselves to God, then yes there is hope. God can make a change in the hearts of man, He can lead all men on a path of victory.

Please do not misunderstand this to mean that rich people will suddenly give away all their riches and that a poor person will suddenly become rich. This just means that with a change of mindset, they can be free from the bondage of sin that keep them from walking in what God has for them.

That said, should Dio surrender himself, then yes there would have been hope for him. Just like there’s hope for all of you. Some of you may think, “Dallas, you don’t know what so and so did to me. You don’t know how bad they are.”  You’re right I don’t know. But with God, all things are possible. Others may be thinking, “Dallas, you can’t be serious man. I’ve done too much. I’ve seen too much. There’s no way I can have redemption.” Well, yeah you can. There is hope for you. No, you can’t do it on your own. You have to surrender your life to Christ. You need to allow God to do a work in your life. But there is hope.

If you need prayer for anything. Maybe you need Christ and you want someone to walk you through the process or maybe need to forgive your personal Dio and would like us to pray with you for them; feel free to email us at geekdevotions@gmail.com or hit us up on any of our other social media platforms.

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