Fragrance or Stench?

Our church hosted "A Call to Purity" Conference this weekend. I could probably write about 15 blogs about all the topics we discussed and all the reasons I'm grateful to be a part of a church family that continuously strives grow as disciples. I really feel refreshed and refocused. One thing from the conference that really stuck with me is the word Fragrance. I think I paid extra attention when the speaker said the word fragrance because its a word that I keep hearing lately. I'm not sure why but for some reason, I hear this word all the time these days. 

The speaker read 2 Corinthians 2:14 which says, "But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing."

Do you see what that verse says??? Through us God spreads everywhere the FRAGRANCE of the knowledge of Him. We are the aroma of Christ among those being saved and those who are lost. 

Ummmm, me??? Really?? I've been around those women (and a few men) that I can honestly say, "Wow...they know Jesus! They are the fragrance of Christ!" I just didn't know that I could be one of those people. Our speaker today reminded me that when we humble ourselves and allow God to purify our hearts and lives, Jesus will live through us. When HE does that, His aroma fills the air. It's not really us, it's Him!

The problem is that our lives are often so full of junk that we close God out and we aren't pure. The sweet, lovely aroma of Christ is covered up by the stench of selfishness, pride, rudeness, entitlement, worry, fear, anger, and irritability. We forget how important purity of heart is. We get tangled up in the things of the world. We feel entitled to this and that and complain about each and everything that doesn't go exactly as we want it to. Let's just face it, in those moments, we stink!

Today I am grateful that I can be washed and purified and be the fragrance of Christ. With Jesus, a purified heart doesn't just make things better in my life, it makes things new. I am a different person because of Jesus. I am also thankful for this new way to do inventory in my life. I can ask myself..."Are you being the fragrance of a Christ in this moment or are you a stench?" When I'm aggravated with my kids or have a bad attitude....fragrance or stench? When I'm inconvenienced and focused on what I didn't get to do....fragrance or stench? When I complain about the traffic or look past a person in need...fragrance or stench? This question will help me to see when I my heart impure. I never want to be a stench! O Lord, purify my heart, let others see You in me. Please be the Fragrance of Christ through me!