Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

Both the dogs and I were happy to have Becki join us on our hike up the hill on this gorgeous frosty morning. When the dogs first catch sight of her putting on clothes that they recognize represent her intentions to join in our walk/jog excursion, they start going nuts—so much so that I kicked them outside to await our departure.

Not everyone in that house had the same sense of smell. A good question to raise is this: Who’s sense of smell is most accurate and important? To the senses of Jesus, this deed performed by Mary when she broke the container of very fragrant and costly perfume, rubbing it all over Jesus’ feet, then wiping the residue with her hair, was a very acceptable, pleasing, and aromatic thing to do. (I would guess that people were following Mary around for a good week after this incident—getting into the path of the fragrance she was emitting everywhere she went.) But to the senses of Judas, who loved money and the stuff it can win, the whole deal stunk! There you have it, folks—this is a concise commentary on the conflict that still continues between members of the two kingdoms (i.e., the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of Satan—there’s only two, you know). Each one stinks to the other.

I just checked the concordance and counted 39 times in the Old Testament where sacrifices are described as being a “sweet savour” (KJV) or “pleasing aroma” (NIV) unto the Lord. That has to be significant. I’ll let Exodus 29:18 be representative: “Then burn the entire ram on the altar. It is a burnt offering to the LORD, a pleasing aroma, and offering made to the LORD by fire.”

Consider also these odor-significant passages:

• Ephesians 5:1-2. “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”


• Philippians 4:18-19. “I have received full payment and even more; I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus.”


• 2 Corinthians 2:14-16. “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to such a task?”

Please understand that, while you may not have a year’s wages worth of perfume to offer to the Lord, you most definitely have something to offer. Any sacrifice of praise or service offered to the Lord from A HEART AFTER GOD emits to Him fragrant “pleasing aroma.” Read Romans 12:1 from that perspective: “Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing (pleasing aroma) to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.”

Don’t be afraid of raising a stink—it’s unavoidable if your life is a “pleasing aroma” to the Lord.