A Pleasing Aroma

Reflection 

In the past, when mall shopping was a typical weekend activity, I would head to the department store, and, invariably, women at the perfume counter would spray samples for passersby. If you weren’t careful, you could walk away with multiple sprays on your arm, reflecting an unpleasant potpourri of scents. If I had my wits about me, once a splash of perfume was sprayed, I would walk away from the counters, yet the fragrance - likeable or not - would linger on me. As time moved on, the fragrances were sprayed on strips and offered to guests. I would slip them into my purse, arriving home without knowledge of which perfume was which, even if one was pleasant. Once I found a fragrance I liked, I would happily spray it on my wrist, enjoying the aroma. 

Application

In 2 Corinthians 2, Paul talks about spiritual victory through serving Christ. He likens it to a triumphal parade that, in the time of Roman conquests, would include incense bearers on both sides of the street. It is in verses 14 and 15 that believers are referred to as ‘the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere’ and as the ‘aroma of Christ.’ This imagery makes me think of that one spray of perfume that calls me to purchase the bottle and to use it daily for its sweet scent, and becomes the aroma that people recognize and are drawn toward. 

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 14-15 ESV)

We do not produce the aroma, but instead it flows through us to inform others of the knowledge of Him. Like a sweet perfume, it attracts and has a signature scent that is recognizable. It reminds us that we are victorious over Satan because of Christ.

Closing/conclusion

In this world, it is easy to walk through life with people metaphorically spraying their views, beliefs, and doubts on us. If so, we reflect a variety of scents that we allow to linger haphazardly in our lives. As a result, we can become a stinky collection of the world. Imagine, though, if those with whom we come in contact only sensed the aroma of Christ because we solely reflect only the fragrance of our Saviour. I pray that we would choose only Him so that we might invite others to know the source of our pleasing aroma. 

- Maryellen Berry