2 Corinthians 2:14-16

“But 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 among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?”

I worked in the research and development department of food industries. My responsibilities included screening different raw materials and flavors for use in recipes, tasting different products, and describing their profiles. We were not allowed to wear perfumes for such a role because the smell may interfere with the flavors. 

Similarly, as the followers of Christ, God wants to use us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of Christ everywhere, as we read from the Bible passage above. But, to make sure that people can smell Christ from us, we need to be mindful if we have other smells. 

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” – Galatians 2:20

Do we hold onto our old dead selves full of drunkenness, adultery, idolatry, pride, and selfishness? You know that dead body stinks, right? Do we have any garbage of unforgiveness, resentment, disappointment, and anger that we have not removed for ages? Garbage also stinks if you don’t discard them for days. Do we still hold onto our own personality and carry our odor? If so, we must also eliminate it and put on only our new self as a new creation in Christ. I know that some things may take time, but let’s be willing to let go of anything that is not of Christ and be transformed to His image daily, relying on His grace and His Spirit as we walk in obedience to Him. Who knows whom God will put in your path today to smell Christ from you?