Bad Smell Is Coming
The young woman had just squeezed past me into the crowded room, filled with worshipers seated on the floor. I had to work hard to keep my knees from pushing into her back as she settled in. The leader next to me leaned over with something between his fingers. The woman in front of me turned, opened her hand, and he placed a cardamom pod in it. She nodded silently and turned back around. I looked at the leader and asked, “What was that for?”
He replied, “Bad smell is coming.”
I watched as she popped the cardamom pod into her mouth and gently began to chew.
I couldn’t help but wonder—what kind of smell do I bring?
When I was a local church pastor, I used to keep my pocket full of Altoids so that when people approached me, they wouldn’t have to endure my coffee breath. I’m pretty sure those little mints melted on contact more than once. No doubt my Sunday trousers got washed with Altoids once or twice over the years.
The smell of sandalwood incense triggers a million memories of people I love in Asia. To me, it’s a fragrant reminder of the Father’s image expressed through people and cultural beauty. Of course, for others, it’s a reminder of a life abandoned to follow Jesus.
“Jesus,” I pray, “I hope my life has been a pleasant offering to You. I want the rest of my life to be a pleasing offering of worship to You.”
The fragrance of the knowledge of Christ—(2 Corinthians 2:14–15) speaks of it. Jesus was a fragrant offering to God (Ephesians 5:2). And generosity, too, smells pleasing to the Lord (Philippians 4:18).
I don’t want to have bad breath or body odor. In the same way, I don’t want my words or actions to stink—I want them to smell good. Some scents actually make me stop and breathe deeper—jasmine, the smell after a summer rain, fresh roasted coffee.
“Make me a servant, Lord, so that when people encounter me, they want to stop and smell You.”
He doesn’t need me, but He chooses to use me. And I’m inspired to bring joy to His heart and good thoughts to His mind in response to His love. I’ll keep offering what I have to Him. And hopefully—good smell is coming, to the Father and to others.