Forgiven Forget

Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other the fragrance of life

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NIV)I've found that some Christians view the opinion of their unbelieving friends towards them, as a barometer of how successfully they are sharing their faith. If colleagues at work are friendly, and relationships stay sweet, then that must be a good sign - they are effectively reaching out to those around them. The flipside of that is that if one of their friends or family make a negative comment about Christianity, then they immediately slam on the brakes and pull back, thinking they must have pushed the whole Jesus thing too far.

The big problem with this, is that it turns reality inside out. It makes the most important issue the opinion of people - and people who are living life in opposition to God at that - rather than centralising and upholding the value and honour of God.

Those verses in 2 Corinthians encourage me - I smell and I should not be trying to cover it up with any silencing deodorant!

I don't know which of my colleagues God's Spirit is already working in to eventually bring to know Christ, or which will perish, permanently separated from his goodness in hell. But I can be sure that everything I do and say which points to Jesus is from God - it's part of him spreading the fragrance of Christ to the whole world.

Paul, the author of these verses, wrote them to spur Christians on, and that sure encourages me! Do I hang back and keep quiet, or do I speak out for Jesus? I should speak out, every time, and he'll use it for his glory! Do I wither up under a pressure decision which I know is wrong, or do I obey my greater boss? I should obey God, every time!

It's discouraging when people don't want to hear, or even when they laugh, and whisper about you behind your back. But we're not to take that as a sign to stop speaking and living for Jesus! Both reactions - wonderfully accepting the fragrant message of Jesus, or turning noses up in disgust - both are to be expected, and neither are to be taken as a sign to stop smelling for Jesus.

Every little part of our day can be part of our Jesus fragrance, to glorify God and to see people saved. That's truth which gives us a reason to live and speak Jesus to those around us.

God is ultimately doing the work. That's truth which gives us a reason to keep speaking and living Jesus to those around us.

But I'll make sure I take in a spare change of clothes tomorrow...