Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing. To the one we are the aroma of death leading to death, and to the other the aroma of life leading to life. - 2 Corinthians 2:14-16. 

A woman in the city of Trabzon, Turkey has been ordered by health and safety officials to remove the cows from her apartment building. Local alderman Osman Terzi said, “I have learned that Fatma Kocaman has started selling her cows, which is a very pleasing development. It’s hard to believe someone would keep cows in an apartment. For years me and the locals have wondered what to do. The area has suffered a lot. Noise, smell and manure everywhere make a very ugly scene.” Some of our lives have more fragrance than others. Fatma Kocaman with her many cows adds much fragrance to the lives of those who live nearby. 

What kind of fragrance does your life have? Is it a fragrance that leads to life or a fragrance that leads to death? Sadly, many Christians spread everywhere the fragrance of death. They do that by acting as though they were not Christians and by living for the things of the world instead of for God. We spread the fragrance of death when we do things like: staying at home on Sunday when we know we ought to be at church; when we laugh at that dirty joke; when we tell that gossip; when we stab our fellow employee in the proverbial back to climb up the ladder; when we fail to turn the other cheek; when we refuse to forgive; when we look at that Internet porn; when we go to the bar to have a few drinks; when we…. 

How much better it is to spread instead the fragrance of life: by sharing Jesus with those around you; by being Jesus to those around you; by being in church when your local body of believers assembles together; by telling the truth; by turning the other cheek; by forgiving; by loving; by giving and by doing countless other things that Christ would do. 

Does your life have the fragrance of death? Or the fragrance of life?