“Therefore be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Ephesians 5:1-2

The Fragrance of Christ

The dictionary defines fragrant as having a pleasant scent or aroma; sweet-smelling; sweet-scented; delightful; pleasant. The above verse in Ephesians says that when we walk in love, it is an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 says, “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”

This verse is saying that we, as Jesus-followers, diffuse (pour out, spread, scatter, disperse) the fragrance of His knowledge everywhere, and to God, we are the fragrance of Christ to everyone (believers and non-believers). Have you ever thought of yourself as being fragrant to God? I know my sins are a stench to God, but it always catches me off guard when I encounter these verses that say I am a fragrance to God. Wow! With all my fleshly humanness I am still called “fragrant!” That just amazes me!

The verse in Ephesians that we started with specifically says I am fragrant to God when I walk in love… and that stops me in my tracks. How am I doing with that? In my home, with my family, at work, with my co-workers, with the annoying neighbor, with the rude sales clerk, with the driver who cut me off or took my parking space… am I being the fragrance of Christ to God or a stench? What kind of smell am I leaving behind?

Oh God, help me be fragrant to You! Help me pour out the fragrance of Christ as I go through this minute, this hour, this day, this week, this month, and this year. Teach me and train me to leave Your fragrance wherever I go. Amen.