2 Corinthians 2:14 (NLT): “But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume.”
I’ve always loved scents. Candles, spices, colognes, the aroma of freshly cut wood, the smell of rain on warm pavement, even gasoline—though I try not to inhale that one too deeply because I like keeping my brain cells. I remember times camping for several days, and then catching a whiff of someone who had taken a shower recently. Their scent was vibrant, unmistakable, refreshing. In that moment, you didn’t have to see cleanliness to believe it. You could smell it.
Paul taps into something like that in this letter to the Corinthians. He paints a vivid picture of our lives as believers being part of Christ’s triumphal procession. The image he draws from would have been familiar to his readers: when a Roman general returned victorious from war, he would parade through the city with incense burning in the streets, filling the air with fragrance to mark the celebration. Paul says our lives in Christ carry that same effect. God leads us as part of Christ’s victory parade, and through us, spreads the knowledge of Jesus like a sweet perfume in the world.
It is a beautiful image—but also a challenging one. Because the aroma of Christ is not always welcomed. Some will find it life-giving. Others will find it offensive. But the fragrance remains the same. Our task is not to alter the scent to make it more palatable. Our task is to carry it faithfully. In a world that often smells of decay, bitterness, self-promotion, and despair, the fragrance of Christ is the unmistakable aroma of grace, truth, and resurrection life.
When our lives carry the fragrance of Christ, people may not always be able to explain what they’re sensing—but they’ll know they’ve encountered something different. Something holy. Something whole.
So, what does it mean to carry the fragrance of Christ? It means living in such a way that our character speaks before our words ever do. It means patience where others are angry, joy where others are bitter, kindness where others are cruel. It means forgiveness that stuns and love that overcomes sin. It means walking through life in step with Jesus so that wherever we go, His presence is there.
Is your life releasing the fragrance of Christ? Is there someone in your life who just might need to breathe it in today? You may never know what a difference the scent of Jesus can make.
Lord, let my life carry the fragrance of Christ. May my words, my presence, my choices, and my love point others to you. Help me to be a reminder of your victory and your mercy in a world that so badly needs it. Amen.