Nose blindness: a temporary occurring disorder that leads to an inability to detect or distinguish common scents.
Scent impaired: (Parosmia) a disorder in which the odors of certain things, or in some cases the scent of everything, is distorted.
Whether Nose Blind or Nose Impaired- it’s a real thing!
No one would have even believed it until COVOD hit and Febreze started its great add campaign.
The sense of smell is highly over looked - we just don’t think a lot about it unless we are overwhelmed by it or without it.
These impairments can cause a person to be confused about a smell or overwhelmed by so many smells that it becomes hard to distinguish a single scent.
2 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NIV) 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.
The fragrance of Christ. Hmmmm…
I heard something the other day that challenged and prompted me to finally put a period on this half-written blog.
Can others smell me? Can others smell the fragrance of Christ, or am I wearing so many other fragrances that he has become indistinguishable?
There is so much coming at us and our world smells so loud. It’s like being spritzed by multiple perfumes in a department store or being accosted by the mixture of fragrances while passing Yankee Candle or The Bath and Body Store.
It smells too loud!
Has his fragrance gotten lost on me?
I don’t want my perfume of opinion concerning current information to make it more confusing to those that are already trying desperately to smell the fragrance of peace.
I don’t want my fragrance, or odor, of frustration and anxiety concerning the unknown to further impair those that are desperate to smell the fragrance of hope.
I want to smell like the fragrance of love and grace - being Christ’s aroma to those around me.
Many are spiritually nose blind or impaired, just as we once were; confused, unable to distinguish or detect a clear scent, maybe even unwilling, plugging their noses, offended by Christ’s fragrance.
Then there are others who just want more, as I do, yearning for a good scent, something that satisfies and refreshes me.
Can you for me, me for you, and us for others, be that clear, clean scent?
I know that not all of life is going to smell good but sometimes we just need a positive word of hope from a fellow Jesus perfume wearer.
It’s like when you finish a conversation with a friend only to realize you can still smell their perfume or cologne in the air. I love that!
It’s the Jesus aroma of faith and courage - It’s that different response, that maker of peace, that gracious truth teller that refreshes me and leaves me wanting another sniff.
How about you?
The aroma of Christ is love, joy, peace, patients, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. But sometimes these fragrances are missing, hard to detect, distorted and confused by competing fragrances.
It just seems to me, as one who relies heavily on her sense of smell, that each of us - our friends, our family, and our neighbors are desperate to smell more of Jesus.
Lord Jesus, thank you that your scent has become life to us, that your lasting fragrance has become something that draws us to you. Forgive us when we stink - smelling more like ourselves and less like you. Help us to put on, to apply, and reapply your fragrance throughout the day so others will be able to clearly detect and distinguish you in our lives, for your sake. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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