Overflowing a Sweet Fragrance

My Dad recently told me a story of a time when he and my Mom had gone out of town and were spending an afternoon just looking in some local shops. He noticed a potpourri shop and decided to go into it. When he entered, he said the air was full of wonderful fragrances, as you can imagine. The aroma caused his sense of smell to go crazy. He spent quite a bit of time just walking around from one fragrance to another, delighting in the different aromas. As he was leaving the shop, he told the store clerk that she was very blessed to work in a shop where she could enjoy all the sweet smelling fragrances every day. She then replied, "I can't smell a thing ....."

Can you imagine? An individual spending the better part of each day of their life around such sweetness but having no effect on her because she had become insensitive to it.

This is such a strong reminder of how we become so used to the things or people around us that we take them for granted. Have we become insensitive to the sweet aroma of Christ in the lives of those that touch us or whether our lives are putting off the sweet fragrance of Christ to those that we touch?

This causes me to reflect on the many times I have had the holy privilege of attending funeral services of dear saints. They all share many attributes in common but there is one that stands out above all others and that is: They were imitators of Christ. They spent their days "walking in love" and their lives became a sweet fragrance to everyone around them. Their family and friends saw Jesus in the way they spoke, in the sacrifice of themselves by putting others first, in their Godly counsel, in their service to the Lord and in their prayers.

Ephesians 5:1-2 says, "Therefore be imitators of God, as well-beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a slain offering and sacrifice to God for you, so that it became a sweet fragrance."

I cannot say that I have lived out every moment of my life walking in love and being a sweet fragrance to those around me. I do, however, praise the Lord for His forgiveness and His power to change me, mold and shape me so that I can be that sweet fragrance of His love to the people He has given me to share this journey we call life. I, too, have the awesome privilege of being in the presence of friends every week that give off the sweet fragrance of Christ's love.

I pray that we will be encouraged today to conduct ourselves in a manner that imitates Christ. Let us not become insensitive to the sweet fragrance of Christ's love that is overflowing all around us through the lives of others. Let us be careful not to hinder our own lives from being a sweet fragrance to God because of sin.

"And may the Lord make you to increase and excel and overflow in love for one another and for all people, just as we also do for you." I Thessalonians 3:12 (Amplified Version)

Praying you all are blessed and encouraged,
Robin