“Wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.”
~ Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book ~

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For some time now I’ve been aware that each one of us has the ability to effect the mood of any group of people we come into contact with, either for the positive or the negative. The attitude that we bring with us into any situation or circumstance has the potential to create a strong impact on those around us.

This realization hit me while I was empanelled as a Juror a few years ago. It was my second time as a member of a Jury, although the first case had been over and done with on the same day. Unfortunately, this time we were warned that our services would be required for a week, maybe longer.

Obediently following the Sheriff’s Officer as she led us into the Jury Room for the first time, we each took a seat around the enormous table that totally consumed every inch of available space. As the door closed behind us, we tried to relax in the knowledge that we had just been locked into a “shoe-box” with 12 complete strangers. The silence that followed was not the companionable serenity that comes from long acquaintance. Rather it was the nerve stretching noiselessness of people who would rather be anywhere else on the face of the planet – preferably without you.

As we sat there twiddling our fingers and trying desperately not to make eye contact, something inside me seemed to click into life. My voice in the stillness even took me by surprise as I smiled at everyone and said, “So, what do we all do for a living?”

Instantly the ice broke and my fellow room-mates started to share a little part of their lives with one another. Smiles began to appear, and an almost tangible sense of relief swept over the room.

The next day the bonds of companionship were starting to form between all of us and I made a quite conscious decision to bring the beautiful fragrance of Jesus with me every time I walked into that room. As we trooped back into our “cell”, I pulled a large container of chocolate muffins out of my bag and put them in the middle of the Goliath sized table. The day before we’d been a little disappointed by the quality of food provided for us in the meal breaks, so the sight of a home made treat brought a cheer of delight.

The next day others rose to the challenge, and my box of muffins was joined by bags of candy, chocolates and cakes. As I chatted and encouraged my new friends, the others began to do the same. When I cleaned up the coffee cups and served, again they followed suit.

Each day that went by found the atmosphere in that crowded little room growing more fragrant. Every day the boxes of cakes and biscuits that were being brought from our homes dwarfed the table. Different nationalities, age groups, personalities and social status all came together in unity, and the aroma of friendship was very sweet.

Perhaps it could have been considered just one of those things that happens among Jurors, but the Sheriff’s Officer put paid to that. Her comment was that she’d never seen a Jury like this in all her years working at the Court House. In fact, the fragrance had captivated her as well, and she went out of her way to make things as pleasant and comfortable for us as possible.

It would be lovely to say that I always brought the beautiful aroma of Christ everywhere I went, but sadly, that isn’t the case. There have been times when I’ve chosen to remain grouchy and irritable in certain situations and my attitude and behavior has created a stench that contaminated everyone I came into contact with.

Just writing this reminds me of the time the children and I went shopping for a bottle of aftershave to give Steve for his birthday. Heading to the men’s fragrance section at the Department Store we began spraying every bottle we could see onto our wrists, trying to find the one that was just right. We stopped after the sixth bottle due to lack of arm space and it was then that I noticed the white cards on the counter. I realized a little too late, that these were provided to test the colognes on so we wouldn’t end up overdosing on an aftershave cocktail of breathtaking proportions.

We spent the next three hours overwhelmed and choking on the toxic combination of too many strong perfumes and couldn’t wait to arrive home and wash everything off.

What should have been beautiful and pleasing to the senses had become an overpowering and vile odour that left our heads aching, sinuses burning and eyes streaming. The same is true of us when we allow bad attitudes to choke out the fragrance of Christ in our lives.

Paul put it very clearly when he wrote to the church in Corinth:

“For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.”
(2 Corinthians 2:15-16 NIV)

As we live the Gospel of Jesus Christ, people should be able to sense His aroma flowing from us. For some, this fragrance will intensify the reeking smell of sin in their own lives in the same way that perfume sprayed to mask body odour will actually enhance the stench. The smell of death isn’t coming from those who are wearing Christ’s fragrant balm, but from those who continue to reject Him and turn away.

Yet to others it will be the sweetest and most beautiful aroma they’ve ever known and everything within them will want to apply this same glorious scent to their own lives. The same people who may never read a Bible, will discover Jesus when we choose to allow the aroma of His Gospel to permeate the atmosphere around us.

Which fragrance will you wear today?

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“Blessed is the influence of one true, loving human soul on another.”
~ George Eliot ~