The aroma of Christ

     A perfect gardenia.  Thank You, Lord Jesus, for Your gifts to us this day...and some of them not only look beautiful but their fragrance is exquisite.   And thank You, Lord, for my dear friend who just dropped these off this morning--their second delivery of these delicate ivory treasures to our doorstep.  Their scent permeates the kitchen and has brought so much brightness and joy into our little world.
    Such a simple thing, really.  Just cutting some flowers, putting them in a vase, and dropping them off at someone's house.  But my goodness, those wonderful friends cannot imagine the payoff in happiness they have brought us.  Not ten-fold their effort.  I'd say more like ten-thousand fold the effort to joy ratio!
     So I had to immediately ask myself, when have I done that... or failed to do it?  When has God put a little something on my heart to do for someone else?  And have I followed through--even if I'm busy or tired or even grumpy?  It could be writing that quick note of encouragement, dropping off those chocolate chip cookies, telephoning to tell someone I'm praying for them, cleaning up another's mess and doing it with joy rather than complaining, refusing to shoot back with a verbal comeback when I've been hurt by another's words, or giving a gift to someone for no reason other than I'm thinking of them.
     Lord Jesus, I want to be more like You--shedding abroad Your love and grace to a hurting, worried, distracted world.  And that means putting aside my own little agenda, my own little concerns, and my own little excuses, and simply being obedient to that gentle, quiet voice of the Holy Spirit prompting me to spill out some of His Living Water on my thirsty friends or family or neighbors.
     I love Paul's words in 2 Corinthians 2:14-15.  Paul explains a disappointing change of plans but then follows up with these words: "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.  For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."
      Like our lovely gardenia gift, what kind of fragrance are we spreading abroad as we go about our days?  Even when we feel defeated or discouraged, Jesus can and will still lead us in triumph and uses us to spread His gracious, glorious fragrance of Life.
     He doesn't call for us to perfect.  Or successful.  Just available.  Just ready to spread His life-giving, joy-sustaining, hope-inducing fragrance to those around us.
     And sometimes it just starts with dropping off some flowers on a doorstep.
     Who can you, who can I bless today with the fragrance of Jesus?  O Lord, help us to be faithful in these little things and start spreading the aroma of the Savior.  To God be the glory.