Aroma

Aroma

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.

MY HUSBAND LOVES to garden and cook. It’s a skill he’s developed over time and several years after we were first married. He’s spent hours learning how to grow and cook food. He skillfully and naturally puts together flavors and ingredients that I would not even think of, sending aromas throughout the house that naturally draw you to the kitchen. Anytime we go out to a restaurant, he will taste the food, remembering the aroma and flavors, often developing his own take on dishes at home, sometimes even improving on things we’ve had while out to eat.

But the part my husband loves more than anything is making food and sharing it with others. For him, the greatest joy is found when he can watch others enjoying his food. He loves to host large and small gatherings, carefully planning a menu with ease. Where cooking causes slight anxiety for me, to him, it’s therapeutic. I love walking into the kitchen while he cooks, because the aroma alone is enough to make anyone hungry and happy. It creates a welcoming ambience in our home that invites guests in easily. His love of people and creating something that others will savor is what brings him joy.

Just as the scent of my husband’s cooking is a lovely aroma for anyone who enters our home before they ever even see his cooking, so we are a pleasing aroma before God because of Christ. When we love others and invite them in, showing hospitality to friends, neighbors, and even strangers, we spread the aroma of the knowledge of Jesus everywhere. Even before people may know we are Christians, the aroma of his love, joy, and peace can be sensed through our lives, often when we do not even realize it.

Lord, let my life be a sweet aroma before you and to those around me. Amen.

-Kendra

One Good Step: Have you ever thought that the aroma of your life is pleasing to God? Think of one way you can share the knowledge, the aroma of Christ, as you love those who cross your path today.