The Fragrance of Christ
I have a garden bed attached to my house that I've filled with herbs for the last four years. However, my husband, Ethan, often remarked that they looked more like a weed bed than a properly maintained garden. While they may not have had extravagant appearances—except for the Russian Sage—they produced useful, beautiful, and fragrant herbs. Overall, they seemed rather basic, unimportant, and unkempt.
Last summer, we undertook some home improvements that affected the garden bed, and I needed to cut down and remove all the herbs. As I began to cut and dig up the herbs that had thrived in this rich, worm-filled soil for four years, the fragrance of each plant intensified with every cut. As I crushed and disturbed them, their natural scents filled the air. I could cut these plants blind folded and no one would have to tell me I was cutting oregano, thyme, sage, cilantro, and so on. Their fragrance spoke loudly of their identity to all who would come near.
In the midst of this task, I thought of other creatures that inhabit the same space, such as the Halyomorpha halys, commonly known as the stink bug. Interestingly, this insect also emits a strong scent when crushed. Despite their shared experience of being cut down, these two species have very different outcomes simply based on who they are.
When faced with the reality of being cut down and crushed, most of us would prefer to be fragrant herbs rather than emit the odor of stink bugs. Ultimately, it all comes down to the essence of who we truly are.
What I want to highlight in this illustration is that the fragrance of the herbs does not change based on how they are treated. Whether I handle the sage harshly or kindly, it still emits the same distinct scent. We act according to who we are, not based on how others treat us. Ultimately, the self-control, kindness, love, joy, peace, and patience you bear as fruit come from your true nature.
When something rotten comes out or when a passive, careless attitude is expressed, it serves as an exposure for pruning. Hot tip: Embrace these exposing moments; it is a gift to see where we still need Christ to move in us, heal us, and where we need to put down our will for His.
You are a powerful person; as a believer and follower of Jesus Christ, He has called you to walk in His power. By remaining in Him, bearing the fruit of His Spirit, and demonstrating His Kingdom through your good works. You are not a slave to your sin, for you have died with your sin and been set free through Christ (Romans 6:6).
What does this mean for you and I? It means we are not called to live reactively; we are meant to live proactively, drawing from the vine to which we are connected. (Dive into John 15 for that reality.)
2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us this powerful reality by saying, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
What do you smell like when you are cut?
What fruit are you bearing?
What Kingdom are you displaying?
Are you walking in the power of Christ?
Can people smell the fragrance of Christ by just being around you?
Do they smell: peace, patience, love, joy, kindness, faithfulness, long suffering?
The challenging truth is that our words mean nothing without action. The Apostle John emphasizes this when he states, "Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth." (1 John 3:18) Our political correctness means nothing without love. Our intentions are empty and powerless without proof of intent found in how we live our lives and reach out to those around us. When we come to Christ and surrender every part of ourselves to Him, He brings us through His death and resurrection, giving us new life—His life. This transforms us into a new creation with a new nature. However, this does not mean we no longer struggle with sin. On the contrary, the Apostle Paul instructs each believer to die to themselves daily and to put to death the desires of the flesh, urging us to walk by the Spirit of God who dwells within us.
This truth cannot be fully grasped through striving alone. We emit the fragrance of God by abiding in Christ and depending on His Spirit to guide and empower us in all we do. I want to be a sweet fragrance to those who are searching for God. While those opposed to Christ may dislike this scent, I pray that those who have eyes to see and ears to hear will encounter the living God through our lives. May we joyfully clear the way for Christ to reign in our households, friendships, workplaces, and churches by exuding the fragrance of God, because of who we are as Christians, who are fully alive in Christ Jesus.
To explore further, spend some time reading John 15 and Galatians 5. Allow yourself to be renewed in the Life of Christ through His Spirit, and may the fragrance you carry be both sweet and supernatural.
