18 Oct, 2007
Do you smell good?
We need to smell like Jesus.
Bad Smells Linked To Fatigue And Other Complaints
Common physical symptoms such as fatigue, chest pain and lower back pain are related to the perception of everyday smells, University of Nottingham researchers told delegates at a health psychology conference on campus last month.
They studied 194 individuals, who completed a structured diary twice a day for eight days, recording their experiences of common physical symptoms, odours, sounds and stress. Seventy different odours were reported with hot food, paint, smoke/fire, coffee, and chemicals the most frequently mentioned.
Professor Eamonn Ferguson said: “These results highlight the importance of everyday odour with respect to the experience of common physical symptom, showing that common environmental experiences, rather than stress, predict symptoms over short intervals. It may be that people come to associate particular odours with symptoms and the experience of the odour 'triggers' the experience of symptoms.”
Professor Ferguson and Dr Helen Cassaday, with colleague Dr Jane Ward of the University of Loughborough, described their findings to fellow academics from all over the country at a British Psychological Society (BPS) event.
photo courtesy images.google.com & story sciencedaily.com, 9/17/07
2 Corinthians 2:14-17
14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15 For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, 16 to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things? 17 For we are not, like so many, peddlers of God's word, but as men of sincerity, as commissioned by God, in the sight of God we speak in Christ. (ESV)
What does today's God's Story scripture teach us about the important issue of how we smell?
Paul lived in the day of the Roman Empire. When the Roman army would return from another battle victory, the Roman general would show off their prisoners and loot in a parade of triumph. The streets would be lined with people burning incense to honor their false gods. This aroma was sweet for the victors, but it was a foul stench for the captives because they faced slavery and death.
When we (followers of Christ) talk about God's Story and our story, it smells great to some and to others - it stinks!
Other believers will like the fragrance of Christ in us, unless they're not living to please Jesus at the time.
For those who are not followers of Christ, it may smell like death at first, because deep in their souls, the Holy Spirit will convict them of their eternal destination without the forgiveness of Christ. But this is good - it's part of God's Story - His Spirit is pointing out their need for spiritual rescue and will attract them to the sweet smell of life in Christ!
Today's story reports that bad smells can make people sick and tired.
So how do you smell to your peers? If we not living for Christ, others will be turned off to our story and God's Story by our "smell".
But if we are full of His grace and love, Jesus will use our lives to be like a sweet aroma to others. Be honest. How do you smell?
How can we connect today's God's Story scripture to our lives?
- Remember today's story - bad smells can make people sick and tired. Be honest and do a little evaluation. Does your relationship with Jesus stink or is it like a sweet perfume to others?
- Talk to God right now. Praise Him for the sweet aroma of Christ's forgiveness which keeps you from the stench of eternal death! Confess any way in which you have been smelling more like the decay of this world rather than new life in Jesus Christ. Ask God's Spirit to keep pointing out anything unclean in your life so that you will give off the fragrance of Christ to others. Thank Jesus for keeping you spiritually fresh every day!
- Memorize 2nd Corinthians 2:15 as a daily reminder of the need to smell good!
- Whenever you put on perfume, cologne, or some body spray, pray that God's Spirit will empower you to give off the aroma of Christ to others.
How can you connect today's story, God's Story scripture and your story to the lives of others?
- Use today's DAILYBIDE as a resource for your next youth group meeting or small group time. (Be sure to start off the discussion with some bad smells and then you can pass around the perfumes and air freshner.)
- The next time you're hanging out with friends at school, at work, or with your family, talk about the study in today's story. Have fun discussing bad and good smells. You can follow this up by asking the others, "How would you describe the smell of people who claim to be Christians?" This should create some interesting discussion which may give you the opportunity to share how God's Story affects your story.
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