Sharp, protruding spikes covered its swampy green skin. Every inch of it emitted the foulest odor. And there it lay, slain in two. As I approached the putrid smelling fruit in a night market cart, I knew it was the infamous fruit, durian. If you have never seen this fruit, click this link. If you have never smelled it, then count your blessings!
Durian is one of the many new scents and odors that I have come across in Thailand. Some are pleasing and others not so. The smell of durian is unequivocal. You do not have to see it to know what it is. Not only is its odor unique but it is infiltrating. I brought back a hunk of this fruit, which was carefully wrapped in plastic. I then threw it in a plastic bag and locked it away in my freezer. The next morning when I prepared my breakfast, I realized that my soymilk and pineapple chunks had been attacked! The smell of durian had crept into every inch of my fridge.
And this reminds me of Christianity.
As we go about our day to day lives, what type of “scent,” what type of impression, do we leave on those around us? Can people tell by our “smell” that we are Christian? Must we carry the Bible, wear a cross, or verbally say we are Christian for people to know that? Or is our scent strong enough?
2nd Corinthians 2:14-16 comes to mind. Verse 14 reads in the New King James: “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place."
As fruit-bearing Christians, we are to be filled with the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Love. As we allow Him to abide in us, the fragrance of Christ will diffuse to those around us. Interestingly, verse 16 says that to some the fragrance will be deathly and to others it will be full of life.
Many times as Christians we are frightened to offend others with our faith; it may be a foul odor. But if God is truly living in us we cannot help but diffuse Him. Truly, the only concern we should have is if our scent is pleasing to God. Not to say that we should be harsh how we share Christ; the way of God is love, for God is love.
The durian certainly had a foul and deathly odor, but, I discovered, that its taste was sweet! Had it not been for the smell, I probably wouldn't have noticed the fruit in the first place. To some people Christianity is a bother and stench, but they may discover otherwise. May it be the unique and pervasive scent that points others to a loving God!
So...will others smell that in you?
