Our Signature Scent

As I grow older, I’m finding that my senses are beginning to fail some. One of the only ones that has not faltered, and may have even become sharper, is my sense of smell. I have always been drawn to pleasant smells. They awaken my mood, my desires, and my memory. I had a love affair with fine perfumes for decades. I was always looking for my “signature scent.”  Since then, I have been more attracted to the all natural scents of oils rather than synthetic perfumes. Fads come and go but a fine fragrance can make a lasting impression.

Today’s verse of thanks speaks of a fragrance. The following verse gives more detail to that fragrance as the aroma of Christ. Paul is taking us on one of his “bunny trails” as he digresses away from his discussion about his trip to Macedonia. Paul is thanking God for giving us His Son as our Signature Scent.

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.” 2 Corinthians 2:14, v. 15 added to expand on the idea

In this verse we read Paul’s outpouring of triumphant faith in praise of the sufficiency of God’s grace for every situation. Jesus is our answer, our victory and our hope for everything life sends our way.

“He truly is sufficient when life is deficient.” ~ Elisa Morgan

To shed a bit of light on how fragrance fits into a triumphal procession, one commentator penned: In a Roman victory procession, the Roman general would display his treasures and captives amidst a cloud of incense. To the victors, the smell was sweet; to the captives in the parade, it was the stench of death (those who are perishing).

We, as Christ-followers, are called to be a sweet fragrance others can’t help but notice. We can’t control someone’s opinion about the aroma; neither can we control someone’s reaction to our Christian message and actions. Our challenge is to stay true to Christ and His Spirit will work in us to attract others and leave a lasting impression. To those who welcome the gospel of God’s grace, Christians with their testimony are the fragrance of life. Christ is our signature scent that brings eternal life.

Friends, thank God for giving us the aroma of Christ through our faith in Him and His indwelling Holy Spirit to guide us in truth and power. Let’s take up that challenge and stay true to Christ and leave behind the sweet fragrance as a lasting impression of our signature scent – that is Jesus Christ.

“My life as a worker is the way I say ‘thank you’ to God for His unspeakable salvation.” ~ Oswald Chambers

"And be thankful." Colossians 3:15b