we stink

2 Corinthians 2

15 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.

16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. 

But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. 



This passage has always been interesting to me.

It just explains why some people react the way they do to a follower of Jesus.

Now I'm not talking about the kind of arrogant, sanctimonious behavior that seems to be so cache now amongst white middle class evangelicals in America right now.

I'm talking about people who walk humbly in the life they have because of Jesus & merely try to fulfill Jesus' mandate to "love God & love others."

Non-believers are just uncomfortable around the Holy Spirit that lives in us.

They probably wouldn't quantify it that way, but essentially that's what's going on.

There is an essence about those of us who live a life of servanthood to Jesus - not because we intentionally try to project that.

It's just helpful for me to remember that one of the reasons people are sometimes hesitant about connecting with me doesn't have anything to do with me & everything to  do with the way others respond to the presence of the Holy Spirit.



So, how do we handle this reality?

Would it be safe to say we should be "wise as serpents but as gentle as doves"?

iow, we connect gently with some people because we know that their spirit is very uncomfortable with the Holy Spirit.

iow, we reach out to people in a gentle, humble spirit, not as some self-righteous jackass.


Think about that today as we each move among a sea of non-believers...