March 6th, 2025
Written by: Darius J.
14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?
It's a known fact to every community worldwide that if you're searching for a good home-cooked meal, look no further than grandma's house. Every Sunday as a child, my siblings and I would visit my grandmother for a post-Sunday service meal. My grandmother was a traditional, born breed Jamaican, the kind that bleeds green, black and gold. Every Sunday, we'd always have the most delicious of Caribbean meals: curry goat, callaloo, and my personal favourite, fried plantain! But there was one thing my grandma always made that I absolutely hated, not for the taste, but its smell: fried fish. Whenever my grandma made fried fish, we'd leave the house smelling like the Atlantic Ocean. Every part of us smelled like fried fish, from our coats to our sweaters, even down to our socks! One wash couldn't get the stench out. Airing out the clothes couldn't get the stench out. That scent was so strong and familiar that whenever someone from my family came home smelling like fried fish, we knew they'd been at my grandma's house. I imagine this sustaining, potent fragrance is the kind of Christian aroma God desires for us to leave wherever we go. How do you smell? And I don't mean your body odour; I mean the aroma of your life. What fragrance do others smell when they have an encounter with you? Do they inhale the grace of God? The joy and hope that can only be found in Christ? Or is the stench they smell something more foul? The stink of a fleshly, carnal life?
In speaking of some of his recent missionary travels, Paul expresses his gratitude and highlights the unique privilege that Christ gives his people as his representatives in the world. Paul compares the submitted life of the believer to Christ, likening itself to a Roman triumphal procession, a familiar ritual in which victorious Rome would parade the streets of its city with the captives of the enemy they've conquered, showcasing the glory of their victory, while burning incense as a sacrificial offering unto God for the victory they had incurred. Similarly, Christ has made captives of us, saving us from the clutches of sin and death! Now, we are to the world an image of Christ's victory, our lives being the incense sacrificial offering whose aroma ought to be smelled by all in the city.
The point of Paul's analogy is twofold: The believer's life is held in service to Christ, and thus, the believer's life must testify to Christ's existence! The believer's life should be so distinctly Christian that believers and non-believers alike can say without knowing our religious conviction: "There's something very Christian about you!" Can people tell you're Christian without you even telling them? If someone were to ask about you, would Christ be one of the first things associated with you? We have the great honour of being used by God to show the world who he is. Especially considering God indeed does not need us, this is a great privilege we should not take for granted. As the aroma of Christ, we ought to be asking ourselves, what fragrance am I giving off in my everyday life?
With your children, is it evident that Jesus rules your life? At your workplace, is it obvious that a higher authority than yourself is guiding your words, thoughts and actions? As it was evident in my family when someone was at my grandma's house, can people tell that you've come from your father's house? It's important to note that this aroma won't be pleasing to all. As the scripture states, for some, the scent of Christ is an abhorrent and convicting fragrance that they will do anything to extinguish, even persecuting you. However, it is not about whether people like the aroma; it's about giving off the fragrance of Christ. As we do this, as assured as we can be that the scent will bring us persecution, we can also be sure that people will find life in Christ through our example!
Challenge
Richard Stearn, President Emeritus of World Vision U.S., once said, "You may be the only Jesus someone sees today." This quote highlights the significance of how we present our lives as Christ's representatives. Consider one way you can be explicitly Christian in a secular environment. That could mean hanging up a verse at work on your desk, displaying more generosity to strangers or having more conversations about Christ wherever you are. Make it a point this week to make your Christianity obvious wherever you go.