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PROGRAM D-7144
I remember a business assignment which put me in the company of two individuals for a short period of time, both of whom were not Christians. That experience sharply reminded me that when we wear the fragrance of The Knowledge of Jesus Christ, it will have different effects on different people.
One of these two individuals had a seeking heart. She liked the aroma of Jesus Christ that she sensed in me. She asked me questions, wanted to stay in touch, admired the peace I had. I wrote to her several times since; we talked on the phone and met for lunch. She was not quite sure what I was about, but she liked what she smelled. I think she is one of those who Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 2:15 as one who is “being saved,” that is, one who wants to know truth and will accept it when she hears it.
It was a delight to spend a little time with her. I was excited to get to know her and to realize that God had brought our paths together.
However, the other person with whom I spent a couple of days had a different reaction. She quickly found me a bit intolerable and our time together was not terribly comfortable. I believe that I treated her with kindness and hopefully with gentleness, but if you’re wearing the fragrance of The Knowledge of Jesus Christ, there’s no way you can spend two days with a person and cover up the aroma! It is a strong fragrance; you can’t just ignore it. Some of the things I shared with her as to my own experience and beliefs made her most uneasy. I think she was quite glad when our two days together ended.
The first encounter made me feel really good, but I didn’t feel good about the second one. Why had she reacted to me that way? What did I do wrong? In re-thinking that experience, I couldn’t nail myself for anything inappropriate. Finally, I had to realize that for this person, the fragrance of The Knowledge of Jesus Christ was the fragrance of death.
Well, are you wearing the fragrance called The Knowledge of Jesus Christ everywhere you go? If you are, you will have these opposite reactions from people, depending upon whether they’re looking for truth, or whether they prefer to stay in their darkness. Would people you work with be surprised to know that you’re a dedicated Christian? Or does your life spread everywhere that unmistakable aroma of his presence?