“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.” II Cor. 2:14
“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13
“…and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge…” Our primary ministry in life is not to be useful but to be fragrant. To be men and women who live habitually in such closeness with and dependency upon our Lord that His scent is unmistakably present upon us “…in every place.” That was what characterized the early disciples. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” Acts 4:13 Note the foundation for everything surprising in John's and Peter's lives - “…And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” Nothing, but nothing, can take the place of spending enough time with Jesus that His presence leaks through us in whatever situation He places us in. That is in fact our greatest Christian service. Oswald Chambers has such an important insight regarding this,
“The trap you may fall into in Christian work is to rejoice in successful service— rejoicing in the fact that God has used you. Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ. If you keep your relationship right with Him, then regardless of your circumstances or whoever you encounter each day, He will continue to pour “rivers of living water” through you (Jn. 7:38). And it is actually by His mercy that He does not let you know it. Once you have the right relationship with God through salvation and sanctification, remember that whatever your circumstances may be, you have been placed in them by God. And God uses the reaction of your life to your circumstances to fulfill His purpose, as long as you continue to “walk in the light as He is in the light” (I Jn. 1:7)....Our tendency today is to put the emphasis on service. It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him.”
I especially love two of his thoughts, “Yet you will never be able to measure fully what God will do through you if you have a right-standing relationship with Jesus Christ.” And also, "It is the work that God does through us that counts, not what we do for Him.” So, so true. It is the fires of intimacy with Christ that produce the sparks of effectiveness for Christ.
This is not to downplay the vital role of external, works-saturated ministry. We are to be a people “…zealous for good works”. Titus 2:14 It is simply a badly needed reminder that our most powerful influence is very often the Christ-scented fragrance we unconsciously leave behind in the wake of intimately and passionately pursuing God.Oswald Sanders put it so well, "True spirituality is the diffused fragrance which has been assimilated in the garden of the Lord." When Billy Graham met Winston Churchill for the first time it was for a very short appointment in Churchill’s office with some of his cabinet members present. After Graham had left the room, Churchill said to those around, “Now there goes a sincere young man.” A close walk with Christ inevitably perfumes any room. And preaches more loudly than a thousand sermons. As St. Francis of Assisi put it so well many, many years ago, "Preach the gospel at all times; if necessary, use words."
Flashpoint:It is the fires of intimacy with Christ that produce the sparks of effectiveness for Christ.
