“And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Ephesians 5:2 (ESV)

Fish Oil

Okay, true story: I was cleaning out a cupboard and found some very old fish oil pills. Way too old to ingest. So I got an idea. (By the way, do not try this at home). Desperately hoping to “cure” my face wrinkles, I cut these large fish oil pills, then poured and rubbed the oil all over my face and neck. My wrinkles miraculously disappeared—not!

Gasping for air, I began scrubbing it off my face as fast as I could. It was horrific. The stench was nauseating, especially to someone who does not like fish at all. What was I thinking? Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, this was just before bed. How was I going to sleep? I smelled like I had soaked my head in cat food. (No, I haven’t tried that!) Much to my chagrin, the harder I scrubbed, I still smelled like an old dead fish, baptized in a fish barrel, and soaked in a tub of tuna. I sprayed perfume in my face and rubbed lavender oil under my nose.

Desperate for sleep, I got out of bed and tried Vicks vapor rub. Now I smelled like a lavender fish with a chest cold. The next day, cats were coming from all over the neighborhood. (The cats are still here, by the way.) I think over time, either I got used to the smell or it went away. I was afraid to ask anyone. The moral of my story is: throw out old fish oil pills.

This experience got me thinking. Was I spiritually giving off fragrance or odor to those around me? Was I fragrantly drawing people nearer to Jesus or repelling them with a pungent odor? Even pretty fragrances do not “cover up” the stench of hidden sin. So if I have a hidden sin that does not show on the outside, can those around me sniff the difference? You bet they can. Do my words, actions and behavior leave the fragrant scent of Jesus? Or does my walk stench of old fish oil?

When I worked in lavender fields, I came home smelling like lavender. When my son came home from work he smelled like tacos. When we spend time with something, we take on the scent or odor. I hugged a friend the other day, and the lovely scent of her perfume stayed with me all day, and I prayed for her whenever I would get a “whiff” of her loveliness.

“Oh Lord, that I would spend so much time with You, Jesus, that I would come away drenched in Your lovely fragrance. Jesus, may Your lovely scent on me be a fragrant offering to God.”