The Aroma of Life

In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life.
2 CORINTHIANS 2:14-16

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As usual, my day started around 6 this morning. Sitting at the kitchen table, I can smell dinner simmering already - we're having chicken soup. I haven't yet decided yet if it will be chicken noodle soup, corn chowder, or a combination of both. But it smells delicious.

Everything we do, everywhere we go, every single day, our actions portray who we are. I don't believe we are defined by what we do, but most of the time, that's all the world has to define us by - our actions. They don't know our heart as God does, and they certainly cannot discern our intentions.

Consider this - if all that we do and don't do, all that we say and don't say truly does produce what can be described as an aroma or fragrance - what is it that we smell like? And what SHOULD we smell like?

It is only natural to assume that our "fragrance" will be produced by whatever we have spent the most time doing, or WHO we have spent the most time with. It never ceases to amaze and disgust me how easily a nonsmoker can detect a smoker by smell alone: their clothing, their car, their breath. I have also walked into many family gatherings, the room filled with Italians, only be greeted by a cloud of garlic.

So if we are spending our time with God, our "fragrance" should smell like God. People we come in contact with should be left with the beautiful perfume of life in Christ, something that should entice them to desire more of that same aroma.

This topic reminds me of a sermon my dad preached a few weeks ago in which he mentioned "the house of bread." In home meeting when discussing the sermon, our minds wandered to how wonderful Santino's smells in the morning when they are baking their bread. Oh my, it is one of the most wonderful things ever. You close your eyes, take a deep, deep breath - you can almost taste it.

That's how much I want to smell like God, so people can almost taste and see that He is good - just from how I smell.