PRECIOUS SCENTS

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.

For we are to God the fragrance

of Christ among those who are

being saved and among those

who are perishing.

II Corinthians 2:14,15

The last time my grand girls were here, something interesting happened and it was just a moment. We were standing in the front yard and I noticed Hannah kind of looking up and taking some deep breaths. She wasn't trying to bring any notice to herself, but I asked if she was okay. She told me that she liked breathing in the air here where I live that it smells so good. Living here, I don't pay much attention to it but know the air is definitely different from other places we have lived. Trees breathe. They take in the bad stuff and give off oxygen...the good stuff. It makes a great difference in the air compared to other locations.

Our sense of smell is something we take for granted. One of the problems with aging among others is that the elderly tend to loose some of their sense of smell. Smell may not rank up with the senses of hearing and sight but we would greatly miss it if some physical problem took it away from us.

Just think of the things we smell. Smell alerts us often to things that must be taken care of RIGHT NOW. For instance...burning food on the stove, a baby's dirty diaper, overly used kitty litter, smoke from somewhere in the house, garbage, and so many other things. However, we love the sweet smelling aromas we have come to know such as: fall leaves, bread baking in the oven, familiar perfume worn by a grandmother, flowers of various types, lotioned baby after it's bath, husbands after-shave lotion, etc.

There is a certain aroma all of we believers are expected to exude. It's not a smell that comes out of a bottle, oven or flower garden. However it is a sweet spiritual aroma that comes through us to others that is only possible through our close relationship to Jesus Christ. It is an aroma from us to both saved and unsaved people. It's a fragrance that can't be purchased or given to us as a gift from a friend. It comes through our spirit because of who we are in Christ. That fragrance can be affected by our closeness to Jesus or lack thereof. I've been around some who claim Christ in their lives who because of sinful lifestyles, don't smell so good spiritually speaking. Perhaps bad choices have been made and one's spiritual fragrance is affected.

The sweet aroma of Jesus that can come through us to others is not only a joy to us but can be of an encouragement to others who come in contact with us. It should be a part of our witness and testimony before others. May we so live for Jesus that His sweet aroma will be a blessing in the lives of others.

Father, thank You for Jesus and all the benefits He brings into our lives. Thank You for loving us so much that You want to use us to be an influence for You. Keep us close to Yourself that Your sweetness will continue to rub off on us but only for Your glory. In Jesus' name...Amen