Our Lives Are A Sweet Perfume

Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.

“What’s that sweet smell?” my mom asked as we drove down the highway. I exchanged an incredulous look with my sisters in the back seat as we sniffed the pungent air.

“Mom—that’s a skunk!” we said, eyes wide.

“Oh, I didn’t know!” she said, laughing a little.

For as long as I can remember, my mom’s sense of smell has been either absent or a little wonky. How else can you explain the mistaken interpretation of a stinky smell as a pleasant one? While she will occasionally catch a hint of a scent, most of the time she has to rely on someone else to tell her if a candle or perfume smells pleasant.

Though our sense of smell can be protective, such as when smoke signals a fire or a rotten-egg scent warns us of a gas leak, it’s a mix of practical and poignant for many of us. I can’t smell lilacs without remembering the bushes that separated my childhood backyard from that of my best friend, and the smell of hay always reminds me of younger days spent jumping from one bale to the next on my aunt and uncle’s farm. Freshly baked brownies, lavender on a pillow, pho that’s been simmering overnight on the stove—all are smells that instantaneously evoke good memories.

In the same way, as Christians, our faith is a defining characteristic of who we are. Just as the smell of fresh-cut grass reminds us of lazy summer days, our faithfulness emits a fragrance that—like incense—rises to God. What a welcome image, that our lives should produce something that brings such joy to the Lord. In the same way that we are filled with delight or expectation when we open the door to our home and smell bread or a chocolate cake baking, may we continue to serve and honor Jesus in such a way that we remain a delight to him.

Kristin

Today’s Act of Gratitude

List five items you enjoy smelling. Thank God for them.