My Kids Stink. Literally. They love to spend hours on end being outside, riding bikes, and playing in the dirt. This summer heat and humidity has not halted their affection for the outdoors. After some grueling hours in the St. Louis sun, they often come running up to me to give me a sweaty hug. Let’s just say that their aroma is less than pleasant. I lovingly say this as their dad - my kids smell. I find that their scent is often related to the place where they are spending their time. Similarly, if I spend an hour eating garlic, my breath tends to smell like.. well, garlic. Often what we give our time to or consume relates to what permeates out of us.
Recently I was struck by this verse while reading Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians (2 Corinthians 2:15-16):
15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life...
As I started to chew on those words and the fact that we are the aroma of Christ, I started considering several questions:
- What do I smell like?
- Where have I been spending my time?
- Do I give off the aroma of Christ?
As we follow Jesus, we have the opportunity to be the aroma of Christ. Often times, if I’m honest, that’s not the scent I give off. I can so easily get swept up in stuff like politics, coronavirus, school, etc., that what I radiate is not Jesus. Sometimes it's fear, anger, or a need to be right. In essence, sometimes I smell.
You and I were created in the image of God. We are called to bear the very values, character, and love of God to all of creation. What if that’s where we put our focus and spent our time? What if we scrolled through scripture as much as we scroll through news headlines, Facebook, or Instagram? What if our lives were oriented around the very person that we are called to bear witness to? I think we would smell a lot different.
From Dan Wolgemuth - Youth for Christ
What a beautiful smell... To the hungry He smells like homemade bread. To the captive He smells like mountain air. To the lonely and isolated He smells like a birthday party. To the defenseless He smells like victory. To the prisoner He smells like mercy. To the arrogant He smells offensive. To the lost He smells like a shepherd. To the abused He smells like justice. To the discarded and rejected He smells like Braveheart... Jesus. The beautiful smell of hope.
Spend time with Jesus, be the aroma of Christ out in the world.
Smell you later-
Kyle
