Thursday, September 10, 2009

A sweet perfume...

It seems by today's standards, the mark of true success, is if you have a perfume named after you. Every Christmas, I will see the new little gift sets brightly packaged, with famous names of celebrities splashed over the bottles. Advertisements are found everywhere for the world to see. It is a big seller. A huge market. People want to smell good.

I personally have been using the same perfume for 13 years. Love it, and everywhere I go people comment on it, so why change a good thing, right? By the way, since I know someone is bound to ask, I use "Dazzling Gold" by Estee Lauder.



Anyway, here is the thing. I'm doing some reading today and found this little treasure in the Word...


"For we are to God, the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." 2 Corinthians 2:15


Say what? I am a perfume? Representing Christ?


Powerful words if you really let them soak in.


In other words... I MIGHT BE THE ONLY "SNIFF" OF CHRIST SOMEONE SMELLS, THE ONLY "GLIMPSE" SOMEONE SEES, THE ONLY "ADVERTISEMENT" SOMEONE READS TODAY!!!


As I look back at my day, I have to wonder how I smelled??? Did I look right? Was I a selling point for Christ? If He put me as a sample of Him in a magazine, would anyone even stop to check Him out? Would my aroma please Him?
Unfortunately, I think I had a few stinky moments, today. Moments that could be considered anything but fragrant. I don't think I always send that sweet aroma to my family, my coworkers, my church family and even strangers like I should. I think I will take a shower in His grace, and drench myself in His love and try to start over at this smelling good stuff.


What a potent little verse, but how beautiful the message. How I would love to be considered a beautiful fragrance...


As you and I go about our day tomorrow, dear friends, here's praying we all make an attempt to SMELL real good for Him!!! :)
Blessings...

12 comments:

Sharon Sloan said...

Oh you are the sweet aroma of Christ.

The computer screen is "scratch and sniff"...so I can confirm it! :)

I love the scripture! One of my faves.

I hope you all are feeling well!

elaine @ peace for the journey said...

I've got another thought...

my fragrance is "knowing" by Estee. Do I truly reflect "knowing" my God? Or how about this...

how I smell is how I'm known!

Love this analogy and of course, the verse to go with it. We are the aroma of heaven to the world around us. Let's get scrub and slathered with the fragrance of our God tomorrow.

peace~elaine

Kristin said...

I will never forget one of the first churches I went to when I started going again....the Pastor said he wanted people to notice the aroma of Christ when he entered a room. I always loved thinking of it like that.

Loriann said...

Praise God! not really on thought, but we love the smell of rain, the girls and I think that it is how God must smell. The fresh scent of Him.

Love and prayers,
Lori and girls

Jim said...

Sis,
I recall an illustration used to describe this verse. When the Romans returned from conquest over another nation, the people lined the streets to shower them with flower petals. In the parade were their prisoners. The aroma meant one thing to the conquerors and another to the captives. Such is our aroma of Christ in the world. To the one an aroma of victory, to another conviction of bondage. Both necessary, one to affirm the followers of Christ for encouragement, the other to bring Christ's offer of freedom through recognizing one's bondage to sin. Both are the aroma of Christ we are to share.

We need to shower in such every day as God leads us forth in His victory parada of the blessed.

Thanks for the encouragement - the sweet aroma of Him that you send my way every day!
Jim-Dad

Amber said...

First of all...I love that scripture and I love what you had to say about it. Good stuff.

Second of all....You do smell good. God perfume and all doped up with the Dazzling.

Love you.

Gretchen said...

Smells sweet here, today. Great word picture, friend.

christy rose said...

Jesus makes us smell of the sweetest aroma! He is the scent that pleases the Lord. Isn't it wonderful to know that no matter what, because of Jesus, we please his nostrils?
Great verse Mich! Thanks for sharing it,
Christy

really.truly said...

Lovely post....great things to ponder. I don't think I always "smell" as sweet as I could....loved the scripture and how the great visual(or smell) you gave :)

Anonymous said...

What a sweet post, Mich, and so encouraging!
♥Hope

momstheword said...

Some days I need several grace shower. One just isn't enough!

Great post, my friend.

Angie said...

Great post!

And I wear Dazzling Silver.....it's my favorite and I've been wearing it since 1999.