February 28, 2011
The Stinky Sour Sippy
Gwen Smith
Today's Truth
"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" (2 Corinthians 2:14-16a, NIV).
Friend To Friend
A few years ago, I flew to Nashville to record vocals for a CD project. My girlfriend, Kerri, and I had spent the last day of my trip in a studio, recording background vocals. When we were finished, I had to high tail it to the airport in order to catch my flight home.
Kerri, a young mom, kindly offered to take me to the airport, and I gladly accepted. I'm all about spending time with my friends and catching up on life. As we made our way to the car, Kerri apologetically mentioned that her daughter had dropped a sippy cup of milk in her car the day before, and that she hadn't been able to locate it.
"I will be more than happy to take you to the airport, Gwen," she said, "but there's just no telling what my car is going to smell like!"
"No problem!" I said. "I'm a mom! I've dealt with many-a-missing milk sippy in my day. How bad can it be?"
Did I mention that it was one of those "you can fry an egg on the sidewalk" days of August? Yep. It was! You know where this is going, don't you?
As we opened the car doors, Kerri and I were smacked silly with the stinky smell of sour milk. Not just a subtle smell, mind you - but a dominant, "been sitting in the 100 degree weather all day" smell. It reeked! We laughed until we almost cried at how horrible it smelled as we made our way down the expressway to the airport.
Sounds kind of funny, but smells matter. Some smells, like a stinky, sour milk sippy, are offensive. They make you want to escape their presence. While other smells, like fresh baked bread, or a lotioned-up baby, can be greatly pleasurable and inviting. Which type of smell best represents your presence and persona?
As Christians, we need to remember that our attitudes and conversations give off a smell as well. The apostle Paul said, "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" (2 Corinthians 2:14-16a, emphasis mine).
Does your attitude give off an aroma of Christ? Are those around you drawn to Him as a result of the love and peace you display? Do your conversations consistently honor God, embody the fruit of the Spirit, and expel the fragrance of life … or are they sometimes laced with bitterness, resentment, anger, complaining, and/or gossip? It's time to locate and throw away our stinky, sour sippy attitudes, and ask the Lord to renew our minds. Let's run the race before us as women of honor who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, give off an aroma of Christ.
Let's Pray
Holy Father, please forgive me for all of the times I've allowed sinful behavior to creep into my thoughts and conversations. I ask that you will now, "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24, NIV).
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
Now It's Your Turn
Read, write down, and commit to memory the following verse: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law" (Galatians 5:22-23, NIV).
Spend some time in prayer right now. Ask God to reveal to you any areas in your life that might not "smell" as they should. Then talk to a trusted friend about what He brings to your heart, and ask her to pray for you and hold you accountable.
More From The Girlfriends
As I'm finishing up this devotion, I've got a pot of fresh coffee brewing. Oh how I love the smell of my dark roast! It's important to understand that when we put love in, we will live love out. Spend some time in God's Word today. I have a GiG challenge for you: for the next 16 days, read one chapter of the New Testament book of MARK per day and ask God to speak to your heart through His Word. Who's in? Click over to my Facebook page at www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic and let me know that you are good for the challenge!!
NEED HEALING for some heart wounds? Got a friend going through a difficult time? Gwen's book, Broken Into Beautiful, takes the reader by the hand and shows her how God delights to transform lives. To order the book, go to Amazon or visit Gwen's website: www.gwensmith.net.
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Originally published Monday, 28 February 2011.
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