THE AROMA OF CHRIST

As I’ve written before, I finished training this past spring to be a hospice volunteer.  Unexpectedly, the Lord laid this on my heart at church when I saw the flyer announcing the training sessions.  Having had two positive experiences of my own of caring for people at the end of their lives, I thought this was a perfect opportunity to bring the light of Jesus into the lives of people so close to the end of theirs.

This week I was given an assignment to visit a gentlemen living in a nearby nursing home.  I didn’t know what to expect.  When I arrived, I met a quiet, unassuming man, and my heart went out to him.  Physically, apart from being thin, he simply looked like an aging man, but an attempt at conversation made his mental confusion obvious.  So we simply walked together through the halls.  I asked questions.  Sometimes he gave answers. 

I sat with him for lunch in a room filled with other men and women in various stages of dementia.  It was not quiet.  Music was playing in the background, but above the quiet melodies, agitated voices reigned, as residents loudly expressed their need to just be somewhere else.  My new friend seemed oblivious. 

As I looked around that room I wondered what, if anything, was being accomplished in my “work” as a hospice volunteer, if I couldn’t verbally communicate the comfort of Jesus to those with whom I visited.  I’m not sure if I can completely answer that yet, but I am thinking, and talking with the Lord about it.  As I thought, this came to me:

I have always loved the word picture the Bible uses in describing believers in Jesus as “the aroma of Christ”. 

“For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing.”

2 Corinthians 2:13

One of the things I noticed yesterday was that nursing homes have an aroma – and it’s not necessarily pleasant.  But the aroma of Jesus IS.  His aroma identifies us to the Father as one of His own.  His aroma speaks of His love, patience, kindness, and compassion – expressions of a heart that sees the effects of sin and impending death on the bodies of these elderly folks, and weeps.  It was never meant to be this way. 

I might speak about this Jesus whom I love and who loves them – but what if they cannot grasp the message?  Well, then I can still be the sweet “smell” of Jesus to them, and to the staff, and to the other patients, and maybe even family members, while I’m there.  I can be kind, and pleasant, and loving, just as Jesus would.  I can speak words of encouragement to those who care for these patients every day.

In contrast to that visit, yesterday I entertained three young Japanese women for breakfast at my home.  I’m teaching them English.  Preparing for their arrival, my home was filled with the aromas of food in the oven and scented candles. We had SUCH a great time visiting and talking and laughing about all sorts of things.

I hope one day to talk to them about Jesus too, but right now I’m discovering that I need to be content to simply be “the aroma of Christ” to them as well, until the time comes when my words can be understood. 

When I’m in the presence of others – those who know Jesus and those who don’t – I don’t want them to remember the scent of my perfume, or the aromas of food cooking or scented candles – I want the aroma of Jesus to be what lingers in their hearts.

The holiday season is coming and all around us live those who don’t know our Jesus.  How can we be “the aroma of Christ” to them this season – even if we can’t YET speak to them about Him?