What's That Smell?

We are a fragrance of Christ…   2 Corinthians 2:15

Image courtesy of Morguefile.com

I woke in the middle of the night, not to a noise, but to a fragrance. After weeks of heat and humidity, a breath of Canadian air blessed us with temperatures in the fifties overnight. My windows were wide open to allow the coolness to flow through the house. The fragrance was perfumed, like fresh laundry on the clothesline. The pungency of it surprised me. I wondered if maybe there was a thief outside my window wearing freshly washed clothes. Within minutes, the scent was gone yet the memory lingered in the morning.

Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 2:15 we are a fragrance of Christ everywhere we go—a fresh breeze in the midst of the dankness. We leave an impression behind, a reminder of Him in every place. His Spirit is alive within us, flowing through like a fresh breeze of His grace. With the window of our soul open, His fragrant Presence splashes like ripples over the surface of a pond. 



Image courtesy of Morguefile.com

This ripple effect has nothing to do with us. Scripture tells us our adequacy is not in ourselves, but comes from God. As we surrender our bodies as a living sacrifice, He uses us to impact our world. Every selfless act is a puff of perfume—every kind word, a soothing balm to a weary soul—sweet reminders of His mercy. And, a bit of His Presence lingers, refreshing the stagnant air as we walk with Him.

Our scent affects believers—encouraging a sister or a brother with a word or a deed. There are times when I walk into a room of strangers and sense right away if someone is a follower of Christ. The light of His Spirit is in their eyes—the connection is instant and it refreshes my soul.

Our scent affects those who don’t know Christ as well. They sense something is different, though often don’t know how to put their finger on it. They may ask, “What is it about you—where does your peace come from?” To which we answer, giving them an explanation of the hope we have in Christ.

None of this has anything to do with us—it has everything to do with Him. We have the treasure of the gospel within our earthen vessel. We are His ambassadors to a dark and decaying world—one that needs the Light of Christ, one fragrant encounter at a time.

Have you experienced this scent in your world?


                                                                   Jeanne



Want to dig deeper?
Read: 2 Corinthians 2:14-16; 3:1-6; 4:6-10; 5:18-20