What The Smell? Crosscheck It!

Have you ever taken a shower and smelled so nice and clean and then dried off with a towel that doesn’t exactly smell fresh or clean? You stand there and scream, “what the smell!!” Except you didn’t say smell. The towel stinks but you don’t have another towel to dry off with so you use it in hopes that the soap smell will overpower the disgusting smell? Like, maybe that stink won’t rub off? I know I am not alone in this. Our current bathroom is the worst. But, I will dry off with the stinky towel rather than yell for someone to bring me another one. Will they hear me? How long will I have to stand here in the shower before they bring it to me? Will they get distracted and then I’m left standing here, cold, naked, forever! Ugh! I’ll just use this one and wash the towels today. I try to find a section of the towel that doesn’t stink too bad and dry off the best I can. It’s quite the sight and pretty ridiculous. And I leave there, you got it, smelling funky. 

We walk around in the world and allow things to rub off on us all the time. We start in the morning, fresh and clean. I spend time with the Lord. If you don’t do this regularly, what it looks like for me is reading my bible, and quieting myself to see if there’s anything He wants to show me. Reread the section of scripture and see what else pops out. What pops out I write down in my journal. Then spend some time just thanking Him. Finding people, circumstances, whatever it may be to be thankful for. And just being aware that as I sit I am in the presence of the only living God who loves me so much. I read and soak in His presence but then I’m done and I have to leave the house. And, oh my goodness, you won’t believe this but some things happened that I didn’t like. Yup, they happened. Frustrations, disappointments, disagreements. I came into contact with people who don’t like me. What???? I know, you can’t relate. But, I came into contact with more people who were having bad days. I even came into contact with people who are hurting so they took it out on me. What???? I came into contact with people. 

So, when people come into contact with me, what kind of aroma am I rubbing off on them? They are coming into contact with me. Did you get that? Contact happens every day with someone. Just like with the towel, what is rubbing off? 

I have the ability to go into the bathroom and smell the towels before I take a shower, ensuring that when I bathe I leave the bathroom smelling fresh. We can also start the day fresh. Focusing on what’s true and spending time in the Lord’s presence and guess what? He is with us and goes with us. The question is when you come into contact with the world, is it rubbing off on you or are you rubbing off on it?

I want the Holy Spirit in me to rub off on others just the way I want other people to rub off on me. The right people. I intentionally surround myself with people I want to be like, not like those I don’t want to end up like. This has not been easy. It has been a painful process but a rewarding one. 

I have gone after so many friendships over the years. For some reason, I go after them and go after them and find that I am not leaving that relationship with any kind of freshness. I am leaving that place feeling worse about myself, hurt, or rejected. But I am the one allowing those aromas to rub off on me. I am the one going to bed feeling horrible about myself, wondering what’s wrong with me, why they don’t like me, why they don’t want to include me. But, God didn’t call me to those friendships, I called myself to them. He is reminding me of that. He’s reminding me not to let other people’s words rule me or rub off on me. I don’t want to live on reactions. I want to be like Jesus and live on mission. Do you have any relationships you need to take inventory of? Are your friendships or relationships life-giving or life-sucking? Are they taking accountability for their actions and words? Are they listening, learning, growing? Do you feel funky and depleted or refreshed when you leave the conversation?

We are called to be the ones that bring sweetness to the lives of others because He’s in us and He is the sweetest. Is what we are rubbing off on others a fresh, sweet smell? Now you can get crazy, you can be ridiculous and find ways to shower others in His love. So often people I know think Christ-followers are boring. Well, I say let’s get a little undignified. What’s stopping you? Take a look at the characters in the Bible. They were anything but boring. Rage against the beige and slather that sweetness around. This world needs hope, needs love and needs Jesus! Be Him out there and let people know He’s real.

What’s that smell? Crosscheck it!

God is good, all the time. And all the time, God is good.