How Do You Smell?

My boiler runs hot.  I sweat.  A lot.  In fact, almost all the time.  Profusely.  Always have, probably always will.  And so I've always been pretty conscious of what I smell like.  I don't always give off the most pleasant aroma.  In fact, more often than not, it's a pretty unpleasant aroma. 

2 Corinthians 2:14&15 talks about the aroma of the knowledge of Christ and the aroma of our lives.   Seems a little odd right?  But Paul is LITERALLY talking about the smell of victory here.  In the ancient Roman world, huge celebrations that were actually called triumphs would be held to mark astounding and empire-expanding military victories.  Even more specifically, they were celebrations to fete the leading general of the military cause.  The triumph procession was huge and splendid, and an integral part of that procession would be the pagan priests swinging their censors full of strong, fragrant and aromatic incense in partner with women who would line the route of the parade with fresh flower petals and blossoms.  

So these triumphs were multisensory experiences, and the fragrance of victory would rise before the conquering leader or general, and surround him on every side.  
  
And so I love how Paul takes this vivid picture straight from the pagan culture and redeems it for Christ.  Christ is our conquering King who goes before us in triumph and victory and we follow behind him, spreading the aroma of his knowledge - his truth AND his grace - throughout the world.  V.15 tells us that among those who know Christ and among those who don't, as we march along in the triumph of Jesus, that we are the pleasing aroma of God in this world. 

And so that's why I ask, "How Do You Smell?"

Does your life smell like Jesus?   Many of you might be thinking, "I wouldn't know.  I can't begin to even fathom what that means."

What that means is this: Are you representing Jesus to the world or are you representing yourself to the world?  In your life, do people see the evidence of a life that's been transformed by Jesus or do they see somebody who hasn't changed at all?

Took me awhile to get here, but this is what part of today's reading from Galatians 5 (which always reminds me of 2 Cor. 2:14-15 and vice versa) is all about really.  The Fruits of the Spirit in v.v. 22 & 23 - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Are these marks of transformation present in your life?  Because if they are - even if the fruit is just starting to bud and show - you are representing Jesus.

If following Jesus for you is just about a Get Out of Hell Free Card, and you couldn't care less about actually being transformed, then you've got some growing up to do.  Because how you smell to the world matters.

One of the best things that I ever read about the work of The Holy Spirit in our lives is this from Pastor Rick Warren, "The Holy Spirit doesn't make us weird, He makes us real."  Living with the Fruit of the Spirit not only smells good to the world, but it's real, practical stuff that changes people's lives for eternity.  Being filled with The Spirit and led by The Spirit is something that every Christian should seek, and as we seek that, His fruit becomes evident in our lives.

When we live lives that are marked by the radical love of Jesus, people smell Jesus. 

When we live lives that are marked by the joy that comes from knowing Jesus, and not the happiness or sadness that comes based on our circumstances, people smell Jesus.

When we live lives that are full of peace - the confident assurance that everything that comes to us is ordained by God because we're in relationship with Him - and not anxiety and worry about every little thing, people smell Jesus.

When we live lives that are full of patience with other people and their sin and brokenness in our lives, walking with them and praying for them in the midst of their brokenness so that we can lead them to Jesus and to repentance, people smell Jesus.  

When we live with kindness and goodness, people smell Jesus.  When we live with faithfulness, gentleness and self control, people smell Jesus. 

If you're a Christian or a follower of Jesus, how you smell to the world matters very much.  Don't think that it doesn't.  Your attitude towards life and towards other people; your desire to seek these spiritual fruits; and your desire to represent Jesus matters.  The Fruit of the Spirit sets the stage for us to use the gifts of the Spirit.  It's the Biblical reality of the old saying, "People don't care what you know until they know that you care."  

If your life stinks of legalism, hypocrisy, anger, cynicism, and arrogance, people aren't going to give you a chance to share the Good News.  But when we take seriously God's desire to produce spiritual fruit in our lives, by the power and grace of His Spirit, we become real people that make a real difference in the lives of the people around us.