What do you smell like?
by Pastor Mark Gierus
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Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume (John 12:3).
Read John 12:1–11
Do you remember the things in life you associate with a particular smell? It might be something from your childhood, the aromas of your mum’s cooking or the smell of a fire in the middle of winter that you link with warmth and family time. Have you ever wondered if Christians have a particular smell?
Mary poured the perfume on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. In this act of love in service to her Lord Jesus, the fragrance of the expensive perfume filled the house. Can you imagine it? If you were there, would you always remember the words of Jesus encouraging her and correcting and challenging the disciples about their sinfulness? Would you close your eyes years later to remember the smell of this act of service to Jesus in love? Would you wonder what smell you leave behind in your acts of love toward others in the service of your Lord Jesus? Is it the sweet smell of Jesus’ love shared to build up another person?
It is easy to fall into safe ways of being a Christian – going to church, reading your Bible and praying. These are all good and right things to do, but God didn’t create us to only live Jesus for ourselves but for others, too, and be a blessing to them in all we do, say and smell like. You see, many people may never go to hear a sermon in church or even read the Bible. The only sermon some people in the world might ever hear is the one you preach by the way you live your life and the way they smell your good deeds as you show love in service towards each other.
When did you last fill your space with the fragrance of service in love? As you serve others, you will be blessed, for you are doing the very work of God. What a joy it is that we can love each other because Jesus first loved us. We can serve each other because Jesus came as a servant to serve us because he cares.
Dear Jesus, may I have a heart to serve you and know that lives are changing as I share your love with others. Let me be bold to serve those I struggle with, love those the world tells me are unlovable and be a sweet fragrance, a blessing to all I encounter today. Amen.
Pastor Mark Gierus currently serves as a Lutheran pastor in Redcliffe, Queensland. He has three beautiful girls aged 7, 10 and 19 and enjoys hiking with them, looking after their pets as a family and going on road trips. Mark prays that God will continue to bless you as you grow in him and come to know him more and more through his life-giving eternal word.
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