What is that smell?!

June 6, 2015

I love Facebook.  Many of the inspirations for my blog come from it.  Case in point:  yesterday a friend of mine shared the following statement that I think you will enjoy:

As I was entering the Home Depot ladies room a cute little girl ( who appeared to be about 7 years) was exiting. She whispered to me "It is going to stink in there. It was my Mom!" Lol. Priceless little children.

I indeed laughed out loud as I pictured this scenario.  Can't you just see the mortified look on the little girl's face and then picture the mom who couldn't have been far behind meandering out as though nothing out of the ordinary had taken place?  How hard it must have been to keep a straight face (in more ways than one if you catch my drift--or the drift that was left behind).  

As children of God, do you ever wonder what scents we are leaving behind?  When we leave a place, is there a fragrance of something pleasant or do we instead leave a stench and have people holding their noses and wanting to get as far away from there as possible?


2 Corinthians 2:15 tells us

For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 

I don't know about you but I for one surely love to follow my nose to things that please it.  Roses, fresh-baked chocolate-chip-pies like I am about to bake for my favorite seven-year-old grandson, the smell of the earth after a solid rain, and who doesn't love the smell of bacon frying and popcorn popping?  On the other hand, popcorn that is burning, a woman with too much perfume, and little boys who use their little bottoms to make dreadful noises and smells are most unwelcome in my aurora.  

Today, as we do whatever it is we have planned, let's purpose to leave behind an aroma that makes people stop in their tracks, turn around to see what that wonder was, and make our Lord Jesus proud of His kids.  Let's create a hunger for those nearest us to want more of that spectacular fragrance to fill their hungry hearts and to create an appetite to learn more of Jesus.  Most importantly though, let's be sure we can truly give them the bread they need.  Are you prepared to share the gospel today?  Let's see if we can get a little help first, shall we?

Dear Lord God, today is another opportunity for us to be lights for You.  You have given us a day to honor You and my prayer is that we all check up before leaving our homes today and make sure we have our dress in place.  May we not have too much Bible and not enough of You.  May we not be overbearing in our knowledge but subtle in our love so that others are attracted to what our testimonies are saying in spite of the things that might come out of our mouths.  

Should someone leave a room where we have been, may the remarks be favorable so that others are enticed to come in and see what the fuss is all about rather than dread taking another step into an arena that is foul and stinky.  Help us, I ask, to be pleasing to those we encounter today and may they smile when we pass and think "I wish I was like that!"

Thank You for this day, Father.  As my family and I celebrate my oldest grandson's special day, may we delight in him the way You delight in us.  In return, may we glean more knowledge of just how very much we are loved by You by the way we love this special boy?  Thank You for him, my other two gsons, and my family.  Thank You for teaching me how to love.  In the name of Jesus I pray.  Amen.