"A Jar Of Figs"

"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish." 2 Corinthians 2:15

At times I will smell a bad odor in my house. When I do, I go on the search to find the source. Sometimes the source is easier to find than at other times. One time I kept smelling something in the kitchen that was not very pleasant and could not find what it was. I checked the trash. I looked under the stove top. I put cleaner down the drain. I even tried to look behind the refrigerator. Still I couldn't locate it. But I didn't give up. After a couple of days I finally discovered it. There was a jar of figs sitting on the top shelf in one of the cabinets that had come unsealed. I couldn't see that it had come unsealed because of where it was located. But eventually the contents of the jar began to seep out and drip down to the bottom shelves. Not only could I smell the source of the odor but now I could see it. Once I threw the jar away and cleaned up the mess the odor was gone.

Did you know that there is an "odor" that is emitted from our lives? It is either a pleasant one or a stench. We either "smell" good or we "smell" bad.

What are some of the things that make us "smell good"? These things not only make us "smell good" to God but to the people around us. Praise and worship to God out of a pure heart. Our obedience. Genuine love. Being living sacrifices. Faithfulness. Being trustworthy. These are just a few.

What are some of the things that make us "smell bad"? Again, these things make us "smell bad" to God and other people. Hypocrisy leaves a bad odor around us. Lack of trust in God. Lying. Insincerity- just flattery. Unfaithfulness- to keep our word, to our relationships, to do what is required of us by others. Disobedience. Harboring ill feelings, bitterness, hate and anger. All these are "bad odor causers" in our lives.

Some of the bad smells that come from our lives are easy to discover, some aren't. But if we don't deal with them when we spot them, like my jar of figs, eventually, not only will they be smelled but they will be seen and then everyone will know the source of our "stench".

Which smell comes from your life- good ones that are well pleasing to God and make others want to find the source of the lovely fragrance- or bad ones that are a stench in the nostrils of God and turns others away in disgust from God. You either "smell good" or you "smell bad" and all the "perfume" or "air freshener" in the world, no matter how sweet, costly or pleasant it may be, can't cover up a bad odor. It has to be removed- just like my jar of figs had to be thrown away.

Have a great day. If there is a "bad odor" coming from your life, you can't cover it up, you have to throw the source of it away.

For further reading:
Ecclesiastes 10:1
2 Corinthians 2:16