The Mystery of Divine Personality

by James Stewart

He was the meekest and lowliest of all the sons of men, yet He spoke of coming on the clouds of heaven with the glory of God.

He was so austere that evil spirits and demons cried out in terror at His coming, yet He was so genial and winsome and approachable that the children loved to play with Him and the little ones nestled in His arms.  His presence at the innocent gaiety of a village wedding was like the presence of sunshine.

No one was half so kind or compassionate to sinners, yet no one spoke such red hot scorching words about sin.  A bruised reed He would not break, His whole life was love, yet on one occasion He demanded of the Pharisees how they ever expected to escape the damnation of hell.  He was a dreamer of dreams and a seer of visions, yet for sheer stark realism He has all of our self-styled realists soundly beaten.  He was a servant of all, washing the disciples feet, yet masterfully He strode into the temple and the hucksters and moneychangers fell over each other in their mad rush to get away from the fire they saw blazing in His eyes.

He saved others, but at the last Himself He did not save.  There is nothing in history like the union of contrasts which confronts us in the gospels.  The mystery of Jesus is the mystery of Divine Personality.

The Paradoxical Commandments

© Copyright Dr. Kent M. Keith 1968, renewed 2001

People are illogical, unreasonable, and self-centered.
Love them anyway.

If you do good, people will accuse you of selfish ulterior motives.
Do good anyway.

If you are successful, you win false friends and true enemies.
Succeed anyway.

The good you do today will be forgotten tomorrow.
Do good anyway.

Honesty and frankness make you vulnerable.
Be honest and frank anyway.

The biggest men and women with the biggest ideas can be shot down by the smallest men and women with the smallest minds.
Think big anyway.

People favor underdogs but follow only top dogs.
Fight for a few underdogs anyway.

What you spend years building may be destroyed overnight.
Build anyway.

People really need help but may attack you if you do help them.
Help people anyway.

Give the world the best you have and you’ll get kicked in the teeth.
Give the world the best you have anyway.