A Fragrance

Do you smell? How do you smell around people? Do they plug their noses? Do they say, wow, that person smells good. I know a lot about smells. I live in Haiti where there are piles of garbage in the street, and where you often go by an open sewer or burning trash. Yet, the Haitian people like to put on a lot of cologne and perfume which is a nice smell, but often chokes me up because it is so strong. The Bible talks about smells.

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 - "But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. ¹⁵ For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? "

Are you a pleasing aroma? As believers we are to give off the scent of Christ. We do this by spreading the  knowledge of him. We spread the knowledge of Him by our words and deeds. As we live as Christ would have us live, we will be a fragrant aroma.  The people around us, family, friends, and co-workers  should notice that we are different than many others in the world. Not different as in strange, but they should see the love of Christ in us and see our holy lives. Wherever we go and whoever we are with, we should have an impact on their lives. We are not out to please and coddle, but to make an impact. We should be drawing a reaction from those around us. Just as one would react to any strong smell. It could be a positive or negative reaction.

Paul says, to those who reject Christ, it will not be a pleasant aroma, but an aroma of death. They will not like our godly lives because it shows them their sin. They will not like the fruit of the Spirit because it reveals their bad fruit. Yet for those who do not reject Christ and are seeking Christ, it will be a pleasing aroma. It will be an aroma that will draw them nearer to Christ. It will be an aroma of encouragement and strength. It will be an aroma that will stimulate them to do good works in Christ.

Even though the reaction to our aroma may be positive or negative. We must always give off a pleasant aroma. If we are giving off an unpleasant aroma, those who reject Christ will feel right at home because they stink just like us. Yet, for those who are seeking Christ, they will not feel at ease around you because they can distinguish between what is good and bad.

Everyone gives off some kind of smell. When people react positively or negatively to your aroma, you need to take a good whiff of yourself and see why they are reacting in such a manner. It is not their reaction that is of the greatest importance. It is whether we smell like Christ or not.

Today, I tell you to go forth and knock the socks off of someone in a good way.