Stinking It Up for Jesus

Photo by elycefeliz

Oh, That Sweet Aroma

Have you ever walked into a house and you could tell that the home owners had animals? There's that distinct odor of wet dog, or wood-shavings, or even a litter box.  There is a definite difference in smell between a home with pets and one without.

This not only happens with pet owners, but also different ethnic groups can have very distinct aromas to their homes. This is primarily due to the style of cooking and types of foods for these various groups. Indian, Chinese, Japanese, and others use very different aromatic spices and sauces, and you can definitely smell the difference when you walk into their homes.

Be a Stinky Christian

Have you ever consider that just like our pet owners or various ethnic groups give off their own unique olfactory scents, believers in Christ should do the same? In 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 we read,

But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?

The interesting part of this passage is that according to the Apostle Paul, believers give off two very different, distinct odors to two different groups of people. First, to other fellow Christians, Christians themselves give off the odor of life. Have you ever walked into a neutral setting in the "world" and met people who you thought were Christians? There was just something about them; the way that they behaved, spoke, or the general "vibe" that they gave off. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they were giving off that same "odor." They were the aroma of life to us as a fellow member of the family of God!

Second, to non-believers, Paul states that we give off the odor of death! Is there any wonder that the world hates Christians? If we as believers are living our daily lives in The Jesus Way,  then to most non-believers we are an unpleasant aroma. We are a constant reminder to those of the world that this life contains only two possible outcomes at the end of it - eternal life in heaven with the Lord or eternal death in hell with Satan and his demons.

How Stinky Are You?

So, believer, how stinky are you, really? Do those around you know that you are a believer? Do you live your life in such a way that non-believers and believers can smell the aroma of Christ as a result?

Fellow believers will be attracted to your aroma of life. You have the common bond of Christ through the Holy Spirit living inside every believer. And, even some non-believers may be attracted to Christ as a result.

Don't be surprised, though, when you attempt to spread the pleasing aroma of Christ wherever you go, the majority of the world is going to reject you! We are the aroma of death to the world, and they don't like us for that very reason. But that's OK. The Jesus Way is a definite choice between life and death. Get out there, today, and stink it up for the Lord!

Also, check out these related posts:

• Behaving Like a Child of God
• Your Life Is Sacred
• Staying Close to the Source
• He's God | I'm Not
• God Lessons at the Park