What's That Smell?

"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." II Corinthians 2:15

Today at church I realized that being in this wheelchair, I've been opened up to a relatively set of smells due to the level of my nose...armpits and breath. I don't say that to gross anyone out, and I certainly don't want to offend anyone with whom I go to church, and I'm not saying anyone at my church smells bad, but it's just a realization I made. With this realization, I realized that our mouth and armpits can give off a wide variety of smells, but they could be grouped into two categories; good or bad.

That got me thinking about the aroma that I give off, is it a good or bad aroma? Now, I was finally able to figure out the new shower situation this morning and I finally took a one-footed shower, so I hope that in terms of that way, I'm giving off a good aroma, though I'd also settle for an absence of bad aroma. But I'm not talking about aroma in those terms, I'm talking about the attitude that people are left with when they have met up with me. Do people leave an encounter with me thinking that I stink or that they are better off for having run into me?

And in this case, I wouldn't want to settle for an absence of a bad aroma, I want to actively be giving off a pleasing aroma, and that pleasing aroma is Christ. I like what Paul wrote in I Corinthians 2, when he talks about what he wanted the people in Corinth to see in him. Look in verses 2 and 3 "When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified."

When Paul left Corinth, he didn't want people to be talking about him, or the words he used, or how he spoke, he wanted people to remember the subject on which he spoke, Christ and Him crucified. I've had the opportunity to speak with a lot of people through the process of my amputation and I hope that when I've left them or when they've left me, they've left with the impression of Christ.

If they haven't, I need to do a better job. Sure I could get a t-shirt or something made up that says I glorify God in this situation, but I'd rather have my words or better yet, my actions saying that I give praise to God in this situation.

One of the things that I've had to work on over the last several years, and I'm still working on it, I haven't perfected it yet, is my pride. I like to be right, I don't think there's anyone who enjoys being wrong, but there are times I've rolled over someone in a conversation to make sure I'm right. And even if I'm wrong I like to get them to admit I'm right...you get the picture. But one thing I've realized over the last several years is that sometimes it's more important to be loving and Christlike than to be right.

But that's kind of a side note, to get back to what I want people to be left with when they run into me I'm going to share another worship song, I'll take a break from hymns. This song is probably the most hymn-like worship song I've heard, it's "In Christ Alone"

In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

In Christ alone, who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
‘Til on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin’s curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ

No guilt in life, no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
‘til He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I’ll stand

When I've left someone, I want them to see Christ in me, how do I do that? By making sure that Christ alone is the only thing in which I put my hope. If we commit to know only Christ and Him crucified, we can't help but give off an aroma that's pleasing to God.