The fragrance – it brings it all back.  The smell of a smoky fall day in Oregon, a home on Thanksgiving, a fresh-cut Christmas tree, or a summer barbecue at the beach, it brings it all back.  Fragrance is powerful.

One of the fragrances for me that never tires is Old Spice.  I can see my dad pouring it into his hands handsomely and then slapping it all over his face and neck as a young boy.  I still buy it to this day, and only cologne, not after-shave, as I want the powerful fragrance.

Sometimes I am on a trip, and I will put on some Old Spice in the morning, and then go out into the day.  Later in the day, a person may come up and say to be – “I love that cologne, Old Spice!”  I am always amazed, as I can no longer smell it. I guess I must get used to it.

A few decades ago kids made fun of not only my cologne, but of my “grandpa car” as well.  It in many ways was a “G-Car.”  It was a Dodge 600 SE Turbo – maroon with maroon interior.  Kids made fun of it until one day . . .

A kid named Adam who lived with his mom, didn’t have a car, and thought my car was a better selection than his mom’s came by my house.  “Sco, you think I could borrow your car for the prom?”  I have to be honest – I had two emotions at the time.  (1) Shock.  No one had ever thought my car was cool.  (2) Pride.  I loved my car, and thought it PERFECT for the prom.  Let the car detailing begin!

A few days later we had that Dodge so shined up, polished, vacuumed, and ready for a date I had to remind myself not to get a corsage!  Off it went . . . like a horse-drawn carriage at a wedding . . . carrying to semi-nervous high school kids into an awkward dance.

The next day I asked Adam how it all went.  He sheepishly responded with a, “O.K.”  O.K. I thought?!  What?  I talked more to Adam and then it came out.  There was something that went wrong, horribly wrong.

“Sco, it’s just that, well, it was like you were with us the whole time.”  I thought to myself, well, maybe that’s not a bad thing.  Adam continued, “Your steering wheel smells like cologne, and so does your car, and so it was like you were in the back seat all night!”

Fragrance.  Fragrance is powerful.

“Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing.”  2 Corinth 2:15.

Do you realize that as a believer you have a fragrance you give off?  It is there – much like my Old Spice which is strong in the morning and later in the day I forget that I even had it on – it is still there!

The mystery of the gospel is that Jesus resides IN YOU.  It’s a bottle of Old Spice with no cap sitting at the center of your LIFE.

“And the secret is simply this: Christ in you! Yes, Christ in you bringing with him the hope of all glorious things to come.”  Colossians 1:27

This is an encouragement to me . . . it helps me to remember that Jesus has called me to be a fragrance in a world that needs a good aroma.  There are places and ways you can be a strong fragrance in a world that desperately needs it – here are a few:

• Your Attitude.  Be happy, be joyful, be enthusiastic.  This world is full of people that exhibit the negative.
• Treatment of people.  Waiters, waitresses, garbage collectors, paper boys, doormen, secretaries, janitors, checkers, and shuttle drivers.  Talk to people, care for people, and tip people.  Remember – they can smell our aroma!
• Follow-up.  People around your life will be amazed at your follow up.  You remembered something about them or their life that you followed up with.  This is the perfect compliment to the aroma already around your life.  Listen well, and follow up!
• Ask questions.  I know I blogged about this before, but the most encouraging thing you can do to care for another is to inquire about them and their life.

Well, I have to go shave and slap on some Old Spice . .  . Wyldife breakfast this morning with 30+ middle school kids.  Love it!

Sco