KSA Quarterly Feb 2015: Fragrance of Life

One of my favourite things about winter in this part of the world are the sweet potato vendors. These industries men and women turn a good business by simply wheeling big metal coal drum ovens around town on the back of wagons.   The stale cold winter air is suddenly infused with the rich, sweet, warm, tantalizing smell of baking sweet potatoes.  This inviting fragrance fills and surrounds the entire block, my stomach will start to rumble in response as I hunt for the cart from which it is wafting.  Just purchasing one of these enchanting treats chases away the winder blue.  The hot outer shell warms up icy hands, the steams clouds up my glasses and the smell, the intoxicatingly warm aroma envelops me as I continue on my way.  You can littler see people’s heads turn when they smell the flavour lifting off my snack and the begin searching for the vendor themselves. 

I wrote a blog post back in December about how Father used the smell of baking sweet potatoes re-introduce me to a family I had shared with several years ago.  Ever since that day I have been meditating on the idea of being fragrance that attracts people around us.  Paul wrote about this same idea when he 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 one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.” (2 Cor 2:14-16) and again “Be imitators of God therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” (Eph 5:1-2).  Lord use me as a vessel of your love as a way to spread the fragrance of the knowledge of you and the new life you offer.