How do you smell?

When I am pregnant, anything with a fragrance that is too strong, makes me get sick, so I have been re-shaping my life into a fragrance free world! :) It's a little different to smell like nothing, and sometimes, even the "nothing" smells bad to me, but there isn't really much I can do about that! I was having this thought as I was laying in bed, feeling sick from the smell of my unscented hair and I took a deeper route with my thinking that my present situation at hand...

How do I smell to others? Not literally, because literally speaking I smell like nothing...but spiritually speaking. What kind of odor do I give off to others as I go about my daily business and life. Do they (those around me) stop and say, "Oh, I like the way her life smells of good things, and her attitude is pleasant to sniff.." or do they run the other way because of the stench?

I had a bit of stinky morning this morning. I took my children to the park, and I was utterly disgusted as a woman allowed her smelly nasty dog to lick and drink from the very same water fountain my children drink from whenever we go. The dogs tongue was all over the whole thing and I was thoroughly disgusted.

And of course, I let my disgust show. (unfortunately) I said rather loudly.."That is why you kids are never drinking from the park water fountains again!!!!" I said it to them, (my children) but I'm sure she and the dog heard me as well. Stinky. Stinky. Stinky.

If it were Jesus He most likely would have knelt down and told the dog to lick His face also...haha.

But in all honesty...that woman was most likely annoyed with me, and as I saw her walk back to MY neighborhood, I'm sure I'll run into her again, and hopefully next time, I can clean up the nasty smell that I left lingering in her nose, and create a smell that screams Christ to her.

These are our real life opportunities to be the pleasant aroma of Christ to others, and I for one need to start looking at my run-ins each day with strangers this way.

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. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. 2 Cor 2:14-17

I learned a bit of a lesson today, and it's interesting to me that this whole ordeal came to be even after I had my first initial thoughts on being the aroma of Christ, but obviously it did not sink in well enough with just the thought, and God gave me a real life example to help me remember.

(as if my own personal struggles with smell right now were not enough)

So let this be a concept that makes you stop and think about what you do as you go about your daily business. People are always watching you, especially if you have already professed Christ in your life, but even if they know nothing about your relationship with Jesus, they will if you show them He is there in your attitude, actions and of course, what type of smell you give off..

If you are finding yourself to be more stinky than pleasant smelling, ask the Lord to cleanse you and make your life smell of His lovely aroma so that you may draw others to Him simply by the way you go about your life each day. It is possible friends. But it takes the constant reliance on the only one who can truly give you all you need. May today be a very good smelling day for you!