Chara is a very stinky girl. Oh, Chara is my dog. We had our first skunk encounter ever this week. We were out walking super early and Stinker just came out of nowhere and sprayed us up close and personal. I no longer stink but Chara leaves an aroma wherever she goes.
Upon this wonderful occasion, my friend sent me some good skunk jokes: (I know…they’re goofy!)
Am I making any scents?
Social distancing protection animal.
Why do skunks argue a lot? Because they like to raise a stink.
What did the judge say when a skunk walked in to testify? Odor in the court!
Why don’t skunks have to pay taxes? Because they only have one scent.
I’ve always really appreciated my great sense of smell, until now. In smelling, the thing that we smell becomes almost a part of us. I literally told my friend “Wherever I walked this morning, my smell stayed there.”
Whether it’s a sweet-smelling Balsam and Cedar candle at Christmas or the aroma in the house after I bake a loaf of bread, I’m a big proponent of yummy scents. But I now know the lingering scent of Stinker, the Skunk, and it’s not pretty.
Scripture talks about aromas as well. This verse in Ephesians comes to mind:
“Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering, and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Ephesians 5:2
This verse gets to the point! We are not to compare ourselves with others and try to come out on top. We are to imitate God alone, as His dear children... This is a call to each of us for action. We are to tend to our inner life with God and literally look like Him!
As we walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, we see Jesus as our example. We begin to realize we can’t love like this without Jesus. He is our example. As He has loved us, so we can love others! We are to display his same humble, kind, and self-giving love. When we invite Jesus to help us, we are a sweet-smelling aroma and give ourselves in love to others. Do you know the difference you can make by loving like Jesus?
May God help you be that sweet-smelling aroma of His love wherever you go.
Take a listen to the words of the song “Only Jesus” by Casting Crowns. I love the line “I’ve only got one life to live. I’ll let every second point to Him. Only Jesus”: https://www.youtube.
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
I’ve always really appreciated my great sense of smell, until now. In smelling, the thing that we smell becomes almost a part of us. I literally told my friend “Wherever I walked this morning, my smell stayed there.”
Whether it’s a sweet-smelling Balsam and Cedar candle at Christmas or the aroma in the house after I bake a loaf of bread, I’m a big proponent of yummy scents. But I now know the lingering scent of Stinker, the Skunk, and it’s not pretty.
Scripture talks about aromas as well. This verse in Ephesians comes to mind:
“Therefore, be imitators of God as dear children. And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering, and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.” Ephesians 5:2
This verse gets to the point! We are not to compare ourselves with others and try to come out on top. We are to imitate God alone, as His dear children... This is a call to each of us for action. We are to tend to our inner life with God and literally look like Him!
As we walk in love, as Christ also has loved us, we see Jesus as our example. We begin to realize we can’t love like this without Jesus. He is our example. As He has loved us, so we can love others! We are to display his same humble, kind, and self-giving love. When we invite Jesus to help us, we are a sweet-smelling aroma and give ourselves in love to others. Do you know the difference you can make by loving like Jesus?
May God help you be that sweet-smelling aroma of His love wherever you go.
Take a listen to the words of the song “Only Jesus” by Casting Crowns. I love the line “I’ve only got one life to live. I’ll let every second point to Him. Only Jesus”: https://www.youtube.
Nancy Abbott is the Chaplain of the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.
No comments:
Post a Comment