Thursday, May 23, 2013 - 12:25 am

Today, I read the first 2 chapters of 2 Corinthians, and chapter 2 compares the knowledge of Christ to a fragrance. Verses 15-16 say, "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. And who is equal to such a task?" Is it any wonder that people who are trying to run from Christ will avoid His people as though they smell bad? If we are truly giving off the fragrance of Christ, those who are drawn to Him will find it enjoyable, but those who are running from Him will not. That doesn't mean we should compromise in order to attract them. If we're not giving off the fragrance of Christ, we may attract some, certainly, but to what point? Not only will those who are truly searching for Him be put off, but the others won't really be finding Him anyway, and our efforts will be all in vain. I would rather reach some with life and the knowledge of Christ, than appeal to all but have none of His fragrance and offer no real benefit to those I attract. Since it's impossible to please everyone, an attempt to do so is doomed to failure. I ought to focus on pleasing God, living the life He created for me, and sharing His fragrance with those around me.