Notes on Hope Devotional

Signature Scent

2 Corinthians 2:14 (CSB)
But thanks be to God, who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession and through us spreads the aroma of the knowledge of him in every place.

After my mother passed away, I had to go through her things and decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to throw away. She loved clothes, jewelry, and perfume. She had a signature scent by Estee Lauder. I kept the half-empty bottle. The scent reminds me of her long after she’s been gone.

Our sense of smell is powerful. It is connected to a place in our brains that connects scents with memories. Think of the smell of a freshly baked apple pie or the remains after a fire has destroyed a home. It can evoke good memories or painful ones.

Today’s verse contains the message of how we are purveyors of the aroma of Christ.

What leads up to this honor and privilege is the Source of this beautiful gift. God, “who always leads us in Christ’s triumphal procession,” is the storehouse of this scent. God is the Source of allowing us to be the containers of His grace that we give out to others.

God supplies, strengthens, and spreads this scent of who He is through us.

We bring our scent into our homes, jobs, churches, spaces, and “in every place” where we engage with people. There’s an added dimension, as well.

The essence of our fragrance is evident even after we leave a space. Think of when you’ve been around a campfire and gone home to discover that your clothes and hair smell of smoke. We carry the scent, and it lingers after we are gone.

What kind of scent are we leaving? What fragrance follows us into the grocery store and the parking lot? Are there odorous scents that need to be replaced? Is it possible we need a “scent makeover?”  Let the Lord supply us with His signature scent which is full of compassion, kindness, love, and forgiveness in a world desperate for the sweet, smelling aroma of Christ.

Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for being the Source of all we have. Thank you, that You, supply the ingredients for us to be Your fragrance. Give us the beautiful scent of Your Spirit to carry with us everywhere and leave behind a glimpse of who you are for others to see.
In Jesus Mighty Name, Amen.