God must indeed have a great cosmic sense of humor, and irony seems to be his strong suit.  His profound Truth is so alien to our worldly ears.  "You must die in order to live...You must surrender in order to gain victory..."  Jesus clearly sets all of human understanding on its proverbial ear.  But that's why I'm attracted to Him.  He is NOT always the kindly, gentle, ruggedly handsome man with blow-dried tresses I saw on felt-boards in Sunday School class who spoke only of love and compassion, and obeying my parents.  He is, at times, bewilderingly passionate about these strange sounding truths that confront and conflict every known way of the world.  He is an emotional rollercoaster; from running away from the adoring crowds, to riding on a donkey in a royal procession before them, from angrily turning over the money tables, and fashioning a whip to drive out the greed-mongers in the temple, to weeping over how lost and depraved the people really were and wanting to take them under his wings.  Although He WAS truly loving, compassionate, and full of grace, he gained the reputation of being an insane, blasphemer, who spent all his time at wild parties with evil sinners and prostitutes and those who had betrayed their nation by working for the occupying Roman government. 

And the ultimate irony of them all; Jesus, the Son of God, coming to earth as a baby, growing up in a remote corner of Galilee, giving up his family occupation of carpentry to become an itinerant preacher, serving the lost, welcoming the outcast, healing the sick, loving the sinners, and then dying on the cross.  The holy, unblemished Son of the Living God chose the most shameful, painful, violent death, so that I might live with Him in eternity.

Thank you Lord for Your divine irony.