What are some pleasing smells?

Cookies baking? Steaks grilling? Fresh coffee brewing? All three are enjoyable, and then there’s a personal level of fragrance too; for example, your wife’s perfume or husband’s aftershave. In life, there are emotions, memories, and mental images tied to aromas. In 2 Corinthians 2:12-17 Paul referenced fragrance this way:

“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.”

As believers, we are the “aroma of Christ”. He continued with word pictures of “Roman Triumph” (parades honoring great generals coming back from foreign battle). In it, a procession moved through Rome to the Coliseum with the victorious general leading the captured enemy. Among them, priests would carry burning incense to fill the route with the fragrance of victory. To the Romans, it was the smell of celebration; to the enemy, a reminder of defeat and impending death in the arena.

So, how’s your “aroma” today? When you leave a conversation, is the lingering impression one of Christ or something else? Paul finished the section (v.17) by saying we’re not to wear Christ in a cheap fashion as ones “peddling the Word of God”, but with a sincere heart “as from God” speaking “in the sight of God”. Thankfully, our Heavenly Father is graciously willing to cleanse us as needed. May we leave a pleasing memory today…