This is the time of year our family does a lot of Christmas baking, and with Christmas baking comes Christmas smells!   Recently, my daughter and I got into our car, and the whole car was filled with Christmas smells—of carmel, and chocolate and ginger, cinnamon and cloves!

We carried the smells with us—they surrounded us and clung to us, as we had been surrounded by them in our baking.

I told my daughter that it reminded me of a verse in the Bible

For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;   2 Cor 2:15

When I was a freshman in college, there was a young woman that lived on my floor, who had a huge smile on her face, she was always so happy—and she really irritated me.   I could not stand being around her.   I found myself wanting to slap that smile off her face.  I thought, “No one can be that happy, she must be faking.” 

Then my roommate—my best friend at college—talked with her and another girl, and understood how to have a relationship with God from talking with them.  Spoiler Alert–that other girl would become one of my bridesmaids at my wedding–and remains one of my best friends.

Suddenly, my roommate really began irritating me as well.  I avoided being around her.  I would snap at her about silly things.

These people were the fragrance of Christ to me—but I was headed away from God, not to HIm—and they really irritated me.

Then after snapping at my roommate, about a silly thing, she looked at me and said, “you know Katie, I’m not perfect, I’m just forgiven.”  

Oh how I wanted that–I wanted to be forgiven.   

I share this story–because maybe in the process of being the fragrance of Christ—someone is snapping at you, someone is irritated by you.   Just keep walking close to Jesus, and who knows—you may say something—something so simple—but so profound–that it makes an eternal difference.

May you be encouraged!!  May you keep giving off all those Christmas smells!!