Fragrance

Wake Up Call

I was given the gift of the most wonderful bar of soap, fragrant with lemon and ginger. I love to deeply inhale its aroma as I use it. Delighted to have something that smells so good, I thought it would be wonderful to keep smelling it all day long. But I found out very quickly that it has no staying power. Five minutes after a shower with it the scent is completely gone.

I wonder this: five minutes after I leave someone, does my scent still linger? I’m not talking about natural smells here. The Bible says; “For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:15) We are meant to carry the scent of Jesus.

Aromas are so powerful. We are drawn to them or repelled by them and it therefore follows that the fragrance of Christ will be noticeable even when it is not appreciated. The above passage goes on to point that out: “to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life.” (Verse 16)

I don’t know what makes one soap scent linger and another fade so quickly. I do suspect however that how strongly we exude the fragrance of Christ depends on how much of him we put on. If people like it or hate it, it’s not our job to care. What should matter is how much of him lingers even when we are gone.

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