Tennessee springtime is beautiful, with dogwood trees blooming, flowers erupting through the dead leaves, and the sweet smell of honeysuckle floating on the breezes. Oftentimes, I make myself a cup of coffee and step out into the backyard to observe my different flower beds, looking for the hopeful anticipation of what may be pushing its way to the surface.
One particular morning, I was surprised by the sweet fragrance of the honeysuckle blooms as the warming breeze continued to usher in the new season. I had not been aware of their blooming, and the smell was lovely, so much so that I am sure I sighed aloud.
After the walk, I made my way back inside to the kitchen. I opened the coffeemaker to empty the used grounds, then proceeded to open the cabinet door to the trash can. Unbeknownst to me, that cabinet door had been holding back a stench that was too awful for anyone to smell! Once opened, I was reminded that the chicken fat I had trimmed from the chicken thighs for supper the night before had been festering all night, just waiting to pounce upon its first unfortunate victim. The odor of rotten chicken and death filled every hole I use to breathe, and I’m positive my eyes were watering when I began to gag. (I grew up on a cattle farm and the smell of manure does not bother me. But this? This was something beyond even that!)
The contrast of the loveliness of the honeysuckle followed by the stench of rotten chicken called to mind the verses in 2 Corinthians 2:14-16:
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place. For to God we are the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To some we are an aroma of death leading to death, but to others, an aroma of life leading to life. Who is adequate for these things?
The verses were quickly joined by the Holy Spirit’s conviction: Which fragrance do you emit?
I can recall times I have served people or spoken a kind word and know that by the grace of God He used me to encourage someone else. I pray those times I was emitting the sweet-smelling aroma of my knowledge of Him, pointing people back to giving thanks to the Lord.
Oh, but I can also recall times when I was impatient and the smell of my relationship with the Rose of Sharon was masked by the death smell of my sin and lack of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Praise God for the first part of those verses: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession..” He is still the triumphant one, and He still has the victory of sin and death. He still has the power to change these filthy, smelly rags into clean, white, Tide scented clothes. Praise Him!
Paul says, “Who is adequate for these things? “ He answers his own question in Chapter 3:4-5:
Such is the confidence we have through Christ before God. It is not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God.
So, with the power of Christ in us, may we spread the sweet-smelling aroma of Jesus Christ in every place.