“What’s That Smell?”

     In my mother-in-law’s flower bed, there is a rather large dill plant.  Often as I walk past it I reach out, break off a small portion of the plant, and crush it in my fingers.  After doing so I place it to my nose and take a smell of the strong aroma.  This may seem odd to you but as I do this I find myself back in the kitchen of my childhood and my mother canning pickles from the cucumbers my grandfather grew in his garden.  As time has passed they become, in my mind, crispier and tastier than any other pickles I have ever had since.  Those who study such things believe smell is one of the strongest senses that trigger memories.  We associate smells with all kind of things.  I would be sorely disappointed if on Christmas morning I did not smell the aroma of “Favorite Stuff” coming from the kitchen, I’m not sure of its real name but our children always referred to it as Favorite Stuff and so it is.  There may also be smells that others may not find pleasant but they invoke special memories for us.  My grandfather would pull us close to his sweat soaked overalls after a hard day’s work and give us a huge and a pat on the back, that jarred your bones, an odor I’m sure offensive to others but a sweet memory to those who loved him.  The smell of some after shaves, make me turn and look for my father.  The scriptures actually talk about the smell of Christians.  By the way we conduct ourselves we are the savour of Christ to God.  Those around us are also aware of that savour.  To those that are of children of God we are the smell of life but to those who know not God, we are the smell of death.  Just by the way we conduct ourselves we bring condemnation to the life they have chosen to live.  For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life (2 Cor. 2:15-16).  There are those who would have seen my grandfather after a hard day’s work just as another unpleasant smelling old man but to those who knew him it is a memory that we hold dear.  Those of the world do not understand the relationship that we share with God and they find no pleasure in the aroma that we put forth.  It is up to us to explain to them that special relationship.  Let us offer up ourselves as a sacrifice, by the way we live, to God that will go up before him as a sweet smelling savour, for Christ has done the same for us.   And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour (Eph. 5:2).  In the kindest way let me say, “I hope you smell.”