The Memory of Sweet Smells

Now thanks be to God who always leads
us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the
fragrance of His knowledge in every place.
II Corinthians 2:14

Out of the senses we are gifted with, the sense of smell is often the least appreciated. We know how important sight, hearing, taste and touch are. We probably feel we could do without smell, but it is God-given like the others for our enjoyment and blessing. 


Just thinking about any number of things I have smelled in my life, memories come to mind. Anytime we had to sell a house, and if we used a Realtor, it was suggested when a client was coming to see the house, that I have a pan of brownies cooking in the oven. There's just something about the scent of something baking or cooking when someone walks into the house. I love the smell of “green.” My husband says there is no such color, but there is as far as I'm concerned. I like the smell of grass freshly mowed or our drive through the mountains surrounded by all of the green. I also like the scent of my husband's after shave, turkey baking, pumpkin pie, fabric softener, bath soap, a freshly lotioned baby, moss covered rocks in a running stream and so many other things. We all have our list.


Lately, I have delved into my past with regard to smell or scent. I love the scent of lavender. We have been several places of late where lavender plants are used in landscaping of property. If I'm close enough, I like to just rub my thumb and forefinger along one of the stems just to carry that wonderful smell with me. This particular scent conjures up for me some wonderful memories of my Scotch grandmother. When I was very young, she used Yardley English Lavender for her perfume. She would come out from taking a bath and would splash it lavishly on her. She loved smelling good. Sometimes she would put a tiny drop on my wrist. I got no more than that at a time as she didn't want me smelling like a grown up. A couple of weeks ago, I got on the computer and ordered that English Lavender in a splash and hand lotion. The minute I got them, I opened up the hand lotion and rubbed just a tiny bit on the back of my hand. It brought tears to my eyes as that smell caused a rush of sweet memories.


In several places, Scripture speaks of sweet smells and fragrances. Sometimes there are smells spoken of that are revolting in God's nostrils. The smell of sweet incense coming from the Old Testament Tabernacle must have been something to behold. We can read in the Gospels of Mary who anointed Jesus feet:

Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard,
very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and
wiped His feet with her hair: and the house
was filled with the odour of the ointment.
John 12:3 (NKJ)

In my reading from various sources, I find that the lavender plant is synonymous with spikenard. No wonder the aroma filled the room where Mary anointed Jesus' feet. Lavender is strong in scent and refreshing at the same time.

The verse above from II Corinthians speaks of “diffusing the fragrance.” In our day, we are becoming acquainted with diffusers. They are for the purpose of exuding a very fine spray of health giving oils into the air of any room. Various aromatic oils of differing scents can be put into this small, round object, turned on and out comes the most wonderful of fragrances. I first saw one in the hair salon I go to. I walked in and immediately smelled the sweet scent of lavender. My daughter Beverly has one and she puts a combination of oils in hers and I believe one of them is lavender.

In the New King James version of the opening verse, it speaks of us diffusing the fragrance of Jesus in every place. I don't know a lot about all of this, but this I know. There is nothing for you and me to diffuse of Christ if we aren't filled with Him and the knowledge of Him. Small electronic diffusers have to be filled with oils in order to be beneficial. We have nothing to offer if the sweetness of Christ isn't present in us.

My Mother often knew, in those bygone days, when I had been with my Scotch grandmother. She smelled my grandmothers scent on me. We had a wonderful babysitter for Jennie and Beverly. I was on the church staff so Ma-maw Clifton brought the girls to the church on Wednesday nights. She would bring them to the nursery, unbundle them and get them settled into the right places. Nursery workers who came in a little later always said the same thing when they would go to change one of the girls diaper. They would say, “Smells like Clifton was here.” How did they know? Mrs. Clifton would lavishly splash Tabu perfume on herself before coming to church. When diapers were changed, she was nowhere in the nursery room, but those two little ones always smelled just like Tabu. Mrs. Clifton didn't put Tabu on the girls, but she sure rubbed off on them.

I wonder as folks are around you and me, if Jesus rubs off on others from us, or He just somehow eminates from us. Hopefully people will be exposed to Jesus without knowing how it happened. It happens because Christ is so much a part of us, that others sense and feel Him...and yes, may even catch a “scents” of His presence. As you and I walk in spiritual victory, perhaps we will “smell” up our worlds as Jesus is diffused through us.

Father, I want to live so close to You that others will be spiritually blessed and refreshed being around me. I pray they will see Jesus in me and will “scents” Jesus presence in my life. Help it to be so. In Jesus' precious name....Amen