Smells Like [Holy] Spirit

Last night I was feeling rather pensive, in light of the fact that I would be starting the great "20's decade." I was saddened by the fact that I've only been living for Jesus for the past few years, and not more. But looking ahead, I'm excited to see how God will use me for this decade. I happened to be reading in 2 Corinthians last night, and the end of chapter 2 stuck out to me. It reads:

"But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." (2:14-15)

 This is such an awesome, vivid picture of how we influence others around us just by being in relationship with God. Like being with your grandpa who has that particular cologne; afterwards people can tell you've been with him because they can smell the cologne. I want to have more of the aroma of Christ, and I want this next decade to be marked with the aroma of Christ. So I guess that's my top birthday wish: for this decade to be saturated with the aroma of Christ, to live in such a way that people can smell Jesus on me.

Black And White

No, this post is not about racism. It's about the simplicity of the gospel message. I think we like to make gray areas that are non-existent but make us more comfortable and allow us to hold on to sin while keeping the title of "Christian." I want to be brief, so I will simply list some observations I made while skimming through the gospels and 1 John.

First, I like John 3:19, especially because it starts with "This is the verdict:" Jesus is basically saying, "Look, Nic (he's talking with Nicodemus), here's how it is." He doesn't leave wriggling room. He says it how it is. The world has darkness. "Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil...But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light" (John 3: 19, 21). He doesn't mention an in-between area; just light and darkness.

Second, the change from darkness to light is noticeable. Those who "have passed from death to life" don't remain in sin anymore (1 John 3:6,9). They remain in that light/love (John 15). When the world sees the change, "it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God" (John 3:21).

Third, the light that comes into Christians is to be shared to the world. "A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house" (Matthew 5:14-15). If the world doesn't see the light that a person claims to have, then they rightly wonder whether or not the light is really in him. John makes it clear that there are people out there who don't have the truth, or light, in them, and who deceive themselves (1 John 1-2).

These are my observations, and I need to evaluate my life to see if there is anything that doesn't match up to this, anything in a "gray area." I need to make sure that my walk matches my talk. Taking an evaluation of your life is a good thing to do now and again, and if you are in need of taking one, I suggest reading through the gospels and 1 John and see where your life fits in that. I think you will find that Jesus' message is pretty black and white.