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 Corinthians 2:15
Can people tell there is something different about you? Does your different and sweet “fragrance” linger in a room long after you leave. Everyone who enters a room after you will unknowingly soak in that fragrance, and you can change the atmosphere in that room, affecting many lives. As Christians, our character is the fragrance we wear every day. Like wearing our favorite perfume as we walk past someone or light a scented candle before company arrives, its fragrance is the odor we release before any word is spoken. Choose the right fragrance and you can lift a mood, evoke a fond memory, or just simply help you smell really good to others.
- Your Character Is The Person You Really Are
How others experience you, whether you aware or intend to or not, is your fragrance. As you go through your day what you do and say and how your carry yourself speaks volumes.
Organized or disorganized, chaotic or calm, messy or neat – without saying a word those around you are experiencing the fragrance of your character. Your children, spouse, partner, family, friends, coworkers, and those who serve in ministry with you .
I’ve had the pleasure of conducting a Bible Study with a group of women who were desperate to live an organized life.
- Your Character is Your Testimony
One of the young ladies shared this great story. Her car needed maintenance, so she decided to take the car into the repair shop and wait in the waiting room until it was complete. She decided before going to bring her bills in so she could do her paperwork while she waited.
After 30 minutes a man came over and asked her what she was doing. She said she was completing her bill paying. He said, I am amazed that you can be so calm getting your work done and are so efficient. It takes me hours to find my bills, and get all my paperwork in order.
The student told him that she has been taking a course on organizing in her church and that she had been given the necessary skills to get her bills in order. She said she was using this down time to complete the work! He was stunned! He said, “They teach organizing in a church”? They both laughed and then he asked her what church she went to.
She doesn’t know if he actually went, but the fragrance that she uttered was louder than any words she could ever have spoken.
- Your Character Provides You With a Sense of Direction in Life
People want to be around others who are productive and authentic in their witnessing. I am reminded of St Francis of Assisi’s quote, “At all times preach Jesus Christ, and only when necessary, use words.”
- Your Character Speaks For You
In the mundane of life we aren’t always our best. There are days when we’re going through the motions. You can’t always come up with a scripture or have time to share a kind word. Fortunately or unfortunately your character…
- voices an authentic walk with Christ.
- fragrance enters before any word is uttered.
- will draw people to Christ or repel them.
- is the person you really are.
- Your Character Exposes Who You Are
- If you are always stressed because you can’t find what you need, your character suffers.
- If you are continually late and others are always waiting for you, your character suffers.
- If you are financially burdened because your money habits do not conform to your income, your character suffers.
- Living an orderly life, like a surgeon’s knife, exposes root character issues and begins to let God take control.
I just love the translation for 1 Corinthians 14:40 from the Institute in Basic Life Principles, “Preparing myself and my surroundings so that I will achieve the greatest efficiency.”
The Good News – Building Christian Character is a Process
It’s not that we should strive to be perfect in everything we do. God wants us to be more Christ like. People notice what we do more than what we say. That’s probably why the scripture says to let your light shine before men that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Are you feeling like you’ll never get there? You aren’t alone. After going through the Organize His Way Bible Study, Jason K. send me this beautiful note…
“… I have been very adept at witnessing to others, but at the same time, others are put off by me because of my tardiness and incomplete work at my business. How can I now effectively witness if my life doesn’t express the order that God is asking me to live. This study has unveiled my key areas to now work on and I pray as we continue the study, God will show me many more areas of my life that are in process. Bless you again Eileen.”
When you commit yourself to growing and learning you will naturally become more like Christ every day. He will reveal things to you and your life and your character will be transformed.
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us to triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are a sweet fragrance of Christ unto God.” 2 Corinthians 2:14-15
What Fragrance Are You Releasing?
Are you satisfied with the fragrance of your character? Are there areas of your life you want to get in order so your life can be a living testimony? Grab your copy of Organize His Way – A Christ Centered Approach to Organizing Your Life and release a new, heavenly fragrance.
Leave a Reply