Daily Jewel

by Everett McAlester, OK

“A Febreze-Proof Life”,br /> “I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon...” – Proverbs 7:17 (MSG)

“But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.” – 2 Corinthians 2:14-16,br />
According to a 1983 article from the Chicago Tribune, a Chicago area woman came home from work at 6 p.m., and when she walked into her apartment, she immediately became suspicious. Gasoline fumes filled the apartment. She thought maybe someone had been working there, so she called the landlady and the janitor. They said they had not let anyone in. With the fumes still strong she called the police and fire department. The fire department came and inspected her apartment but found nothing.
Finally at 10:30 she prepared to go to bed. In her bedroom she noticed something unusual. There was a strange electric cord running to her bed and a bulge in the center of the mattress. She again called the police. When the fire department took the mattress off of the box spring, they found a crude, home-made firebomb. Three one-gallon containers filled with gasoline were sitting on top of a hot plate connected to a timer that was set to go off at 3 A.M. Subtle...very subtle.
For that woman to be killed by that crude trap, she would have had to be utterly oblivious to everything in her world, both sight and smell. Surprisingly enough, Satan himself sometimes sets traps for us that are just as obvious as this firebomb! Although he can be the most cunning of deceivers, at times he tempts us in ways that are so obvious, so blatant, so brazen, only a fool would lie in that lumpy bed and turn out the lights! And yet....
There are a number of ways to freshen up a room. I love scented candles. Evergreen candles are my favorite followed closely by cinnamon scented. The evergreen ones remind me of Christmas and I love walking into a room filled with aroma specific. ,br /> What is perhaps one of the greatest products produced in the past few years has to be the air freshener, Febreze. Just a squeeze of Febreze can really change the atmosphere of the room. I keep a small canister in my car and in my office.
Unfortunately, there are just some odors that no amount of spices, candles, or even febreze can mask. They may for a short while but eventually the odor will filter its way through creating the same problem you started with.,br /> Working for and around funeral homes for over twenty years there is one smell that is impossible to cover up—the smell of death. Rotting flesh has no equal in this regards and the only remedy is to get as far from it as possible—even then it lingers with you for some time.,br /> The woman’s attempt to cover her bed with spices and all sorts of good-smelling things only serves to remind us that she is attempting to cover up the real problem that lies underneath: the smell of death.
Temptation is the attempt to mask the evil one’s odor just long enough for the deed to be done which too often it is too late to turn back from. The hope here—by taking Solomon’s advice, is to keep our senses sharp and know the difference between the aroma of life and the smell of death. According to Paul, the Word and People of God are the pleasing aroma of Christ and I don’t know about you but I would much rather be surrounded by sweet-smelling things and people (metaphorically speaking) than those who carry the smell of death.
Pastor J.T. Carnell.