Are you an Air-Freshener?

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,  to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 2 Corinthians 2:14-16

Are others glad to see you coming, or are they happy when you leave?

Like it or not, we take our fragrance with us as we go through the day. I think you would agree that can be good or bad. Do you care about your scent? The Apostle Paul says in this passage that “we are the aroma of Christ…”

This aroma is received differently by different people. We see this idea in I Corinthians 1:18 as well: “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”

The verses we are considering in 2 Corinthians say that those who are perishing see things quite differently than do those who are following Christ.

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” 2 Corinthians 5:17

We should want to be winsome to those around us, to draw them to Christ. However we dare not change the message of the gospel or try to make it less objectionable. Some will be offended at the message of God’s condemnation of sin.

To some our message may smell like death. That is appropriate, because the wages of sin is exactly that – death. Hopefully we can deliver that message in a compassionate and caring way.
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13.
Through us God spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ everywhere. We are tools in God’s hands to get out the gospel. It is our task to be air-fresheners in the world.

This should characterize our lives. And some of us should be making plans to take this wonderful aroma to parts of the world where the stench of death is strong.
Through us God spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Christ everywhere. Everywhere.
Every where.
Are you willing to bring the sweet smell of good news to those in faraway lands who have never had a whiff of it, and without it are condemned to hell?
When people encounter us they should be glad that we came by. It should be a refreshing experience for them. If not, may it be because they are not ready to embrace the gospel message, rather than because we are obnoxious.

-David Shaw