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? – 2 Corinthians 2:14-16
Have you ever noticed that you can learn a lot about people by just taking the time to smell them? For instance if they smell like cedar chips they most likely store their clothes in a cedar wood dresser, which could signify wealth. If they smell like alcohol, cigarette or marijuana smoke then they, or someone they spend a lot of time with, may be struggling with an addiction.
Have you ever stopped to think about what you smell like to those around you? During the time of Christ a king would anoint himself with a heavy dose of perfumes so that his subjects would smell his presence and be reminded of his position of power and wealth since most people of that time could not even afford a drop of perfume. Remember the story of Mary when she anointed Jesus with a whole bottle of priceless perfume to the annoyance of Judas?
Mary then took a pound of very costly perfume of pure nard, and anointed the feet of Jesus and wiped His feet with her hair; and the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. But Judas Iscariot, one of His disciples, who was intending to betray Him, said, “Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii and given to poor people?” Now he said this, not because he was concerned about the poor, but because he was a thief, and as he had the money box, he used to pilfer what was put into it. Therefore Jesus said, “Let her alone, so that she may keep it for the day of My burial. “For you always have the poor with you, but you do not always have Me.”– John 12:3-8
Mary understood that Jesus was more than a man and that He was of infinite worth. He was worthy to be anointed with priceless perfume in the manner of a king. Now for the remaining days leading up to His crucifixion people would smell Jesus approaching just as they would smell the entrance of an earthly king.
So I’ll ask the question again. What do people “smell” when you enter a room? What scent do they remember when you leave? Does the perfumed aroma of Christ grace the room or does the rancid stench of flesh hang in the air? Remember that Christ died for you and that you are only a shower of Grace away from washing away the rancid stench of sin and death.
Repent and ask the Lover and Creator of your soul to anoint you with the perfumed presence of Christ through the filling of the sweet and precious Holy Spirit (1 John 1:9). God loves you so much that He was willing to pay the ultimate price so that you could smell like life… just like Him. Please don’t take this gift lightly. Take the time to smell your life and invite Christ to change you…forever…
Manna and Coffee 