In 2 Corinthians 2:14-15, I have been reminded that my life is much more eternal than I often give consideration to. It says that God leads us in “triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him” and that we are “to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing”. So basically, we have victory because of Christ and we are smelling up the place with God.

These really are two great realities to embrace. At first we can walk away thinking that we need to focus on odor management, because that is something that at times we really find ourselves busy doing… trying to create a better aroma of Christ for the people around us.

If I can just know more of the Bible, or be more involved in ministries, or make greater sacrifices then I will become more like Christ. Do you see how these things can almost leave God out of the picture? They become new ways to get what we want without any need of God.

We live in a world that is obsessed with bettering ourselves. What we need to remember is that we cannot do that work, because that is a work that only God does in us. He gave us the Holy Spirit to do all the “God stuff” that ultimately changes us from the inside out, not the outside in. Let’s commit ourselves to chasing after God and leave the “odor management” to him.