2 Corinthians 2:14-17 (Hobby Lobby and Other Aromas)

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? ¹⁷ Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.

What are some of your favorite smells?  Yes, yes....we all love the smell of baking bread, chocolate chip cookies, and flowers.  But are there some smells that you love that others find interesting?  For instance, I absolutely love the smell of certain stores: Lowes, Blockbuster (which is slowly disappearing), Hobby Lobby, and our public library here in town to name a few.  

This summer, I took the kids I nanny for to the library one day, and as we approached the door, I warned them that they were about to smell one of the greatest smells they had ever smelt.  We walked in and all took a big whiff which left a smile on my face and a confused look on theirs.  I had to explain that it was a mixture between "new building smell, a chlorinated swimming pool, and muffins"...as we continued walking, they started to agree with me.  Who knows what they really think of the smell of the library (or of me for that matter), but the next week, they couldn't wait to go smell the library with me!

Aromas are funny aren't they?  We all have different preferences, and you can begin to like aromas that you didn't like before, but I wonder if it has more to do with association than the actual smell (for instance, associating that the smell reminds you of your incredibly fun and funny nanny...).  Just kidding...well, kind of.

And so we are used by God to spread the aroma of Christ.  It's quite obvious just by looking at the news or Facebook that we, Christians, have a pleasant aroma to some and an aroma of death to others.  You know that smell, right?  The aroma of death....dead animals, dead food in the trash can, dead plants that have stayed in the vase a little too long.  Never is "death" a pleasant smell.  

This is quite a large task He has given us, spreading the aroma of Christ, which some will love and others will hate!  But we are His hands and feet on this earth until He returns, and much of what people think about Christ is reflective upon what they see in us.  And based on what they see in our lives, they may begin to like the aroma of God in a way they have never experienced before.

Now, lest I talk all of us into acting like my natural position of "people pleasing," this doesn't mean that everyone will like us!  Look at verse 17, and see we are to speak of God sincerely, truthfully.  Or as the NLT puts it, "You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us."  And when we speak of God, our relationship with Him, and what Christ did for us, some people will not be happy about it.  That fact is plain as day based on what we read.  We must know that people will not agree or like what we say...perhaps because saying that Jesus is the only way seems "narrow-minded".  They won't like that.  

But others will have their eyes opened by God.  Others will see our lives and our message and suddenly "get it."  The aroma that once smelled like death to them, will begin to smell like life and beauty and peace and love.  You can begin to like aromas that you didn't like before.

So what kind of a smell are you today?  Cookies?  Rotting flowers?  Hobby Lobby?  Not everyone will think you "smell good,"  but don't change the aroma itself to make it smell better as those do "who peddle the Word of God for profit;" instead, remain steadfast, prayerful, and servant-minded.  And let those who will, see Jesus in you.

Whether they come around to "liking" the aroma or not doesn't matter, because the aroma of Christ on this Earth ALWAYS pleases the Lord.