How Do You Smell?

     Like it or not, a Christian is designed by his / her Creator to be recognizably different in every aspect of life.  Jesus said that his disciples would be noticed by how they acted toward one another (John 13:35). 

     Paul was guided to say this in a different way.  In 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 he writes, “For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.  To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.  And who is equal to such a task?”

     What does this mean?  That everyone around you will judge God, Christ and the church by what they see and hear and watch you do. 

     To some, the Christianity you portray will be an odious stench that they will only want to be rid of.  Regardless of how well you live a holy lifestyle.  Righteous living is so foreign to their way of thinking and acting that they will do everything possible to discredit, shame and persecute you.  They will just be waiting for you to be human and mess up so that they can prove you and all other Christians wrong.  These are the ones you will have to be careful not to spend too much time with. 

    There are others, however, that will appreciate a life that makes sense and follows godly principles.  They will enjoy your influence (aroma) and want to learn more about it.  Unfortunately, they will seldom say so.  These are the ones we need to be seeking.  These are the ones we need to spend most of our time with. 

     The hard part in all of this is that you can’t do anything about what others think of your aroma.  You can only try to live for Christ to the best of your ability.  Just be careful to give off the correct fragrance.  One that puts Jesus and His kingdom in a true light.  It’s up to others to determine how it smells.  Latch on to the ones that enjoy God’s presence.

     So, how do you think you have smelled lately?

Doug