Pleasing Aroma

“For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:” 2 Corinthians 2:15 (KJV)

“Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved  and by those who are perishing.” (NLT)

As I sit here writing, the smell of fresh brewed coffee is floating through the air. Outside the aroma of freshly fallen rain scents the breeze. And oh, how I wish I had bacon cooking on the stove. Those three scents are definitely on my list of favorites. It’s crazy how a smell can bring back a memory, good or bad. A smell can alarm you to something dangerous or have a calming effect, if pleasing.

In the ESV version it states; “We are the aroma of Christ…” It elaborates that to some who are not living for Christ the fragrance may not be as pleasant, but to those who are living in him it is a sweet fragrance.

What aroma am I portraying? Is it pleasing? I’m not talking about the quality of ones deodorant, but the aroma that comes through our lives from the inner man. Does my life draw others to Christ, like the scent of sizzling bacon in the morning or does it repel like the scent of a skunk sauntering down the highway. We talk about being the hands and feet of God, the thought of being an aroma has much more of a lingering ability. My life can have an effect that lasts far beyond my actual presence.

Prayer: Lord, let my life be a pleasing aroma to you and a pleasant one to those around me. Let your love shine through me so much that even when I am no longer present the aroma can linger and positively affect the hearts of those it reaches.