Have you ever been in close quarters with someone who had on too much cologne or perfume? They get in the elevator, or hug you, and you smell like you’ve doused yourself with whatever they’re wearing. Or have you gone into a room where someone’s been smoking? I’ve gone into a gas station just long enough to pay for gas, and came out reeking of smoke. Hard to get those smells out of your nose, because it seems like the smell just lingers.
Likewise, our personalities and actions leave behind an aroma. Some people come into the room, and peace and calm enter with them. Others bring tension and chaos with them. You know what I mean.
In 2 Corinthians 2:14-16 the apostle Paul tells us that we as followers of Christ have an aroma. He says that “…through us [God] spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him [Christ] everywhere.” Hopefully, as we go along in our day, we leave behind the fragrance of God’s love, holiness, grace, and compassion. The only way we can do this is to allow the Holy Spirit to be in charge. Otherwise the odor we leave behind may not be pleasant.
When we were leading a discipleship class for the youth at a previous church, we brought in bottle of spikenard to let them see what John 12:3 meant when it said that “The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” One of the young ladies in the group said, “May I spray some on my Bible?” She gave a few spritzes, and then remarked, “Now it smells like my best friend Jesus!”
So, what do you smell like?