Do you think if your first exposure to god was reading the old testament that you would love and praise god? [Spirituality & Religion]

Christians are always telling me i need to respect god and devote myself to him...
But if you're going to say god is real and the bible describes his nature to us, how do you get around all the heinous, despicable shit he's apparently done and ordered done?

How do you love and respect someone like that if you're not already starting from a place of faith and excusing such behaviour?