I’ve been posting about how we’re to love God. In my last article we saw how this involves an imitation of His love for us. Today, I want to continue along those lines.
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.
Ephesians 5:1-2 NIV
We’re told that our lives should portray a love like that of Christ. But, what does it mean to live a life of love just as Christ did? It’s obvious that He showed us a sacrificial love. This kind of love becomes a sweet-smelling fragrance before God.
This tells me that in order to love God we must use His perfume.
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.
2 Corinthians 2:14-15 NIV
Because of His work in us, we give off the same spiritual aroma as Christ did. Of course this assumes that we hang around Him.
I remember a time when I was at a church retreat. We had some great times around a campfire at night. We sang and I cooked s’mores over the fire. I remember distinctly that when I arrived home, my clothes still smelled like smoke.
In the same way, if you spend time in His presence, you’ll begin to smell like Him. People won’t know why, but they’ll know your life is different because of the love of God in you.
The next verse after the one above says that to some it will smell like death, and to some it will smell like life. We need His perfume to cover the stink of our flesh.
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 NIV
Here we see Mary, Martha’s sister, pouring out an expensive perfume as an act of worship. The fragrance filled the house. Some who smelled it thought it was a wonderful gift. Others thought it was a waste of money.
It’s the same for us. Some think that a life lived for Christ is a beautiful thing. To others it’s a waste of time. There’s too many other things that they’d rather do.
However, if you want people to see the Lord in you, there’s no other way.
When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus.
Acts 4:13 NIV
This verse brings an important question to mind. Will people take note that you’ve been with Jesus? Will God’s love radiate out of you? Will you spread everywhere the aroma of Christ?
It’s time to let God’s love work a love for Him in you. Let it rub off on you. Start allowing your life to pick up the fragrance of Christ.
Question: How have you seen others affected by the love of Christ in you?
© 2026 Nick Zaccardi
The Spirit and the Word 