What’s That Smell

Posted on April 10, 2023 by Elizabeth Welte in Freedom Fighters

The other morning when I was coming into work, I smelled it. It was really strong.

I have no clue where it was, but the smell was permeating the air all around the Raws Memorial building. It was REALLY bad.

When I walked into the building, you could even smell it! It was awful.

I have no clue where it happened, but obviously, a skunk was around and most likely met it’s fate on the road.

You would have thought it was right outside the building. My guess it was all the way out on the highway.

Smells are interesting. Some smells bring back memories.

I went to Camp Sandy Hill in North East, Maryland when I was a kid.

My Uncle Pete was the cook, and there was a distinct smell around the kitchen of maple syrup when he was cooking. Whenever I smell maple syrup, it takes me right back to camp.

Some smells bring back good memories. Some smells bring back memories that are not so pleasant.

One thing that is weird about smells, especially bad ones, is that, for some reason, your sniffer seems to make you smell harder.

You know what I am talking about. Like with the skunk, it was almost like I was sniffing harder to figure out where it was.

Some smells make you gag and almost want to puke.

Sorry to be so graphic on a Monday morning.

For some reason, the smell of eggs makes me want to gag.

I could give you other smells that make me gag, but I don’t want to upset you.

In the Old Testament, when God instructed Moses and Aaron about sacrifices, there were ones that gave off an aroma that was pleasing to the Lord.

In the New Testament, Paul indicates that you and I have an aroma.

If we are honest, we have been around people who give off an aroma that is offensive.

Remember the smell of the locker room after gym class when we were in school?

Some people have really smelly feet and when they take their shoes off – yikes!

We had a friend who doused herself with perfume – you could tell she was around by the smell before you even saw her.

Here is what Paul wrote:

But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession.

Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.  

Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this? (2 Corinthians 2:14-17)

I think the text is pretty clear. Doesn’t need much commentary or explanation.

Is my life giving off a Christ-like fragrance or one of the smell of death and doom?

When you walk into a room, does your aroma draw people to ask what that smell that opens the door for you to share Christ with them is?

Or does your odor repel people?

How about your words?

How do they smell?

Do they give off a good fragrance or one that smells like the stench of death?

In the words of Comedian Yakoff Smirnoff – bet you never thought it about your fragrance like that before – you will now!

 

Written by Bill Welte: President/CEO of America’s Keswick: Bill has been married to his childhood sweetheart for 40+ years and has four married kids and 12 amazing grandkids. He loves music and is an avid reader.

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This Week’s Verse to Memorize: “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, ²³gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23)