One of my favorite things is walking into a coffee shop. The smell is undeniable. It consumes you like your first breath on a crisp, winter morning. An aroma can take over a room. It can change the atmosphere. It can comfort or it can nauseate.
If you've ever traveled internationally, you know that there are very significant aromas that come with each country. Between the 11 countries and the seven people on your team, the world race itself is filled with many. I won’t go into more detail.
That’s not really what I’m here to talk about.
I’ve learned a lot about a different type of aroma this month. You don’t use your nose to identify this one. In fact, you’re pretty much unaware of it until you realize the affect it has had on you. This aroma, much like coffee, can take over a room and change the atmosphere.
Ministry has been different here. Different, in that, we absolutely cannot share the gospel unless specifically asked by the person we are speaking to. Not following this rule could lead to serious consequences and possibly the end of our time here.
And with that… something in me is raising an alarm. It’s that little seed of performance based Christianity that was planted long, long ago. It’s that lie that says I have to do in order to be a good Christian. Or get this, I have to speak in order for God to work through me. On the World Race, that can become your mindset… Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. I need to share the Gospel every chance I get. Don’t get me wrong… that’s not a bad thing, but there is something to be said for living an intentional life, covered in prayer, and allowing God to do the work.
Allow me to present the truth behind my statement:
“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 those who are perishing.” (2 Corinthians 2:14-15)
Imagine a perfume (or cologne, for you gentleman) that you never have to re-apply. One day you chose it and now it is your constant fragrance. No matter how much you sweat or how many times you try to cover it with something else… you always smell like that perfume. That is how the aroma of Christ works. We can’t do anything to produce it or quench it. It simply is. And here’s the best part… it never gets old! As we live our day to day lives as children of God, we carry His aroma on us like a never-fading perfume.
As I’m seeing this month, it’s all about what you do with that aroma. It’s so easy to mis-represent the aroma we carry. Let’s return to the illustration of a coffee shop. You walk in, overtaken by the smell of brewing coffee. Your mouth is watering now. So you order a cup of coffee, but when you take a sip you are unpleasantly surprised. All that build up… only to be disappointed by a burnt cup of coffee. Bummer, right?
Unfortunately, Christians can be the same way. Now, I think it’s important to always remember we are imperfect people. We are going to screw up. I thank God every single day that He gives me the grace to live day to day. God says that He chooses the weak. Even through our unintentional, or even intentional, mis-representation of the aroma of Christ in us, God can still use us to minister to the people around us. I think that’s pretty amazing.
I am humbled by this truth. God calls us ambassadors of His Kingdom. He chooses us to represent His Kingdom. He places the aroma on us. I can’t even fathom that. He chose me?
So the question is… what does it look like to represent the aroma of Christ?
It’s much more simple that we think.
Here in Vietnam, as we go about our day, whether that means going to an orphanage or spending time at a coffee shop, we make an effort to love the people around us. We form relationships with waiters, we return to the same sandwich lady day after day. We show genuine interest in the lives of the people around us. When there is a language barrier we smile and say hello. We even spend hours cleaning up after our hotel floods (true story). Most of the time we can’t talk with the people around us and even if we could, we can’t share the gospel with them. So we love, we smile. We color with the children at the orphanages, we go for walks with them. We laugh. We play. We simply live life with these people as we learn about their culture and cover them in prayer. Without realizing it, these people are experiencing God because we are His ambassadors, His representatives. We are the aroma of Christ.
There is no doubt that the glory is all His.
To you, Oh Lord, be the Glory forever. Amen.
