So… have you ever been somewhere and smelled B.O.? And immediately you start to check yourself (as discretely as one can sniff their own armpits in public) to see if it’s you. Eventually, you just have to ask someone you love and trust if it’s you. LOL. I’m always worried it’s me—I’m such a sweater. Yes, I sweat and I don’t even have to be exercising. It usually doesn’t stink though… well, at least that’s what my trusted friend said… but anyways. I read this scripture today and it made me think of stinking…
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 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. 15For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task?
In my fancy study Bible, the commentary says that Paul is describing The Roman Triumph, a victory parade for a conquering army and its leader. Both victors and captives were part of the procession, and both groups could smell the fragrance of burning spices which accompanied the parade. The aroma, however, meant something different to the two groups. (Spirit-filled Life Study Bible)
My son, Ben, is 8 years old and has more testosterone than several grown, weightlifting men put together. Sometimes after baseball or just wrestling with dad, his pits smell like a locker room. And when I bring it up to him, he definitely has a different view of it than I do. He’s quite proud of his manly aroma. But mama, not so much. Lol.
I love the last part of verse 16, … And who is equal to such a task? That word equal in the Greek is hikanós. It means worthy, enough, competent, able, ample (in amount). So basically, Paul is saying, “Who is worthy for the task of smelling like Jesus?” And that’s quite a big job isn’t it? But it’s our mission, should we choose to accept it. Good thing Jesus tells us that we can do all things through Him who loves us!
In order to cheer us on in this assignment, I’ve come up with a new acronym to help us remember to spread the aroma of Christ. Instead of WWJD, I like to think HWJS- How Would Jesus Smell? It’s the same concept really, just makes me laugh more. Does my life spread the aroma of the knowledge of Him? Everywhere? Even when I’m wrestling two demanding toddlers and filtering the requests of a preteen and wanna-be preteen in the checkout line? Do I smell like victory? No, not always. But I’m working up a good sweat trying to. I’m praying I’ll “stink good”, as my husband says. My goal is to stink to High Heaven and be the pleasing aroma of Christ to God. Do I stink?? I sure hope so! HWJS?! Spread the new lingo… #HWJS