A Different Smell

It's Springtime! The trees are budding. We're hoping the frost won't get the fruit. The fragrant blossoms are wafting throughout the valley. People bothered with allergies have swollen eyes and runny noses. There's a certain fragrance in the air.

Have you ever smelled fresh bread out of the oven? It has such a rich aroma. I think of my gramma who baked bread often in the winter. I could smell her bread the minute I walked in the door after school. Sometimes  now I go to one of the local bakeries where, when I come in the door, I smell the yeasty odor of freshly baked bread. You can even get frozen bread to thaw, let rise and bake just like gramma. You can make a friend of almost anyone with a warm slice of bread and melted butter!

Just like the smell of freshly baked warm bread, so the Bible says we are to be a "sweet fragrance of Christ". Interestingly enough, we smell the same to people of faith and to those who haven't chosen faith yet. The reaction to the aroma of Christ is diametrically different between the two groups of people. To those who haven't made the choice to follow Jesus, the fragrance of Christ smells like death. To those who have choice to walk with Christ, the fragrance is living and fresh. Paul was explaining this to the Corinthian Christians in his second letter to them. (II Corinthians 2:15-16) In the next chapter, Paul reminds the Christians that nonbelievers had a veil over their hearts, but when there was repentance, that veil was stripped away and Christ could be experienced more clearly. Suddenly, they could "smell" Him in a different way. His fragrance in believers would bring life rather than death.

Do you believe you bring the sweet aroma of Christ to your surroundings?  You bring His aroma by living in His Presence and bringing His life to your surroundings. Keep in mind not everyone will like what they "smell" about you. Remember it's the kindness of God that leads us all to repentance. Jesus Christ is the Bread of Life. Christ in you, the hope of glory!

Father, sometimes I worry that I don't bring You to my surroundings all that much. Help me connect more with You and not worry about others. I want to "smell" like You when I'm around people. In the times past that I have experienced Your Presence, it was so good to be there. I believe Your living and fresh life is something so many of my friends would love. Thank you for continuing to move people closer to You and for Your fragrance which moves believers to ever increasing faith!