Perhaps you’ve heard someone say, “She’s such a good person.” Often this compliment is based on the person’s humanitarian actions. But that definition of goodness represents a worldly viewpoint. It doesn’t reflect biblical truth. The truth is, apart from Christ, we have no goodness.
Isaiah 64:6 describes our deeds when done apart from a relationship with Christ this way: “We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags” (NLT).
Filthy rags? Ugh! Filthy rags stink. From God’s viewpoint, actions done apart from Him also smell. Until we accept the free gift of Jesus and allow God’s control in our lives, we have no goodness in ourselves. But there’s good news!
Once we are in Christ, our aroma is fragrant. “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” (2 Corinthians 2: 14, 15).
What a contrast! Because Christ loved us and became for us “as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:2), we are a fragrant aroma to “those who are being saved” (2 Corinthians 2:15).
Of our five senses, the sense of smell leaves the strongest impression. When I smell Old Spice aftershave lotion, it reminds me of my father. When our lives show the goodness of our heavenly Father, it should remind others of Jesus and the “fragrance of the knowledge of him” (2 Corinthians 2:14).
My prayer is, “Heavenly Father, may Your fragrant aroma of goodness flow through me to others. I want them to sense the sweet goodness of Jesus through my life. ”
Reading God’s Story Schedule today, 8/21/13: Jeremiah 41-44.
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About Lydia Harris
Lydia E. Harris is happily married to Milt, her sweetheart for 48 years. She has two married children, five grandkids, and is the author of a Bible study, "Preparing My Heart for Grandparenting" (AMG Publishers, 2010 release). She's also a tea enthusiast and writes the column "A Cup of Tea with Lydia."
