Sweet Fragrance

Yesterday was "Dia de Mujeres" or Woman's Day. So I saw many women, yound and old, carrying flowers through the street. When I arrived to teach in Puyo I was greeted by a chorus of "Feliz Dia" from my students. My boss, Sara gave me a type of plant (the name escapes me) that has a pleasant scent. While it's pleasant it's also quite strong and so I fear that I've made everyone on the bus (including myself) a bit heady from the overpowering fragrance.

It reminded me of the verse in 2 Corinthians 2:14 "Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place". The plant that Sara gave me had such a strong fragrance that not only could I smell it as I held in my hand but everyone who stood next to me could smell it and appreciate its beauty. Do I have the fragrance of the Lord in my life? Is it so strong that people who are close to me can smell it as well? But what exactly does this mean, I mean how can you have the fragrance of the Lord, it's not like some kind of spritz that you can just spray on you before you leave the house. Looking at the example of Mary in John 12:3 "Then Mary took a pound of very costly oil of spikenard, anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped His feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil". She sacrificed her costly oil and gave it to Jesus. Everything that she had been holding on to and saving up she gave to Him. We are told to "...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).