The Aroma Of Life (Part 2 of 2)

The sense of smell is one of our five human senses. Our nose has 350–400 smell receptors and through them we are able to detect thousands of different odours. This passage tells us that as followers of Jesus we have the God-given ability to bring to others an aroma that brings life. That is amazing, but how do we do that?

We all give off a smell whether we want to or not, and usually without being aware of it, as it is part of who we are. Our lives give off a fragrance that tells a story. What that smell evokes in others depends on two things, firstly, what we have received from Christ and put into practice, and secondly, the spiritual state of those we come in contact with.  Let’s look at these a bit more closely.

We have probably all heard the saying, “You are what you eat.”  The same is true spiritually in terms of what aroma we receive from being close to Christ (or not). Fruit tends to give off specific aromas and the ‘fruits of the Spirit’ is the same. The sweet smells of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control plus forgiveness and acceptance are detected by others through their human spirit.

Some people have their fragrance diluted through sin and behaviour that does not bring glory to God. Their aroma of life is faint, while that of others can be detected some distance away and others find themselves drawn into that presence. Spend enough time with anyone and you will know their chosen fragrance for life. Jesus invites us into His presence where we can absorb the fragrances of heaven, which rub off on us, and then we bring them to others.

God doesn’t demand a perfume change from a distance. He invites us into His presence where His fragrance of life overpowers, heals, and restores. You can’t hear about the fragrance of love and decide to spray your life with it like perfume in a bottle. You have to come into the presence of love for its fragrance to become your fragrance for life. You have to come into the presence of peace to become the fragrance of peace to others. Then others will be drawn to you and to Jesus naturally, because they want that same odour of life which is intoxicating and heavenly.