How Are You Smelling Today?

Nathan Stam
Children/Communications Pastor

We have three boys. We live in a small house. I'm thankful, so incredibly thankful, for a place to live, but our spaces are small and confined, yet adequate don't get me wrong. Two of our boys eat regular meals including beef, chicken, vegetables, fruit, etc. The other is a 4 month old baby who currently dines exclusively on milk. My wife grew up in a family of four girls. As you might imagine or have experienced, life with three boys is a little bit different. One of those differences is the smell.

Sometimes the smells in our house can be overwhelming I have to confess. And not in a good way. Not in a "those-brownies-smell-awesome-coming-out-of-the-oven" way. I apologize for writing on such an unsavory topic, but it's leading somewhere, I promise. With all of the diapers and a five year old and three year old who seem to compete on a day-to-day basis who can be the stinkiest we are frequently running the exhaust fans and burning candles.

Our three year old has an especially fine-tuned olfactory system. "What's that smell?" is one of his most common phrases, and the answer generally lies as a byproduct of his own digestive system.

Did you know the Bible addresses how we smell? I didn't. At least not until I read what Paul had to say in 2 Corinthians 2:14-17. Check this out:

But thanks be to God, who always puts us on display in Christ, and spreads through us in every place the scent of knowing Him. For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To some we are a scent of death leading to death, but to others, a scent of life leading to life. And who is competent for this? For we are not like the many who make a trade in God's message [for profit], but as those with sincerity, we speak in Christ, as from God and before God.

So, what are you smelling like today? Are you the fragrance of Christ to your brothers and sisters in Christ? Are we the sweet scent of grace? Or do we stink, to put it frankly? Does the way we conduct ourselves turn away those who desperately need the Gospel and hurt our brothers and sisters in Christ?

Paul is clear that this is a terrific responsibility, and that we're not to water down the Gospel, either in the way we live or the way that we speak. As one author put it, "We should be an aroma redolent with life."

How are you smelling today?