Redolent - A sweet Smell

I learned a new word today. I read a lot so when I find a word that is not familiar to me, I always am curious as to what it means. I normally find words like this in old books that I am reading, or books reprinted from ages ago. Today was a word that I have never heard of. I found it in the book I am reading through, Valley of Vision: A Collection of Puritan Prayers and Devotions. Now you can understand why I say old.

“Magnify to me thy glory by being magnified in me and make me redolent of the they fragrance.”


The word redolent caught my eye. I did not know what it meant, so I looked it up.

Redolent

1.       Having a pleasant odor; fragrant

2.       Odorous or smelling (usually followed by of)

3.       Suggestive; reminiscent (usually followed by of)

I went and did a search for redolent in the Bible. I found one reference that was found in the Message. Now, I don’t normally read this version, but I found it interesting that it used the word redolent.

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 The Message (MSG)

^14-16 In the Messiah, in Christ, God leads us from place to place in one perpetual victory parade. Through us, he brings knowledge of Christ. Everywhere we go, people breathe in the exquisite fragrance. Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is recognized by those on the way of salvation—an aroma redolent with life. But those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.

2 Corinthians 2:15-17 English Standard Version (ESV)

¹⁵ For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, ¹⁶ to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life. Who is sufficient for these things?

2 Corinthians 2:15-17 New Living Translation (NLT)

¹⁵ Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. ¹⁶ To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?

2 Corinthians 2:15-17 King James Version (KJV)

¹⁵ For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish:

¹⁶ To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?

I wen to Blueletterbible.com and looked up the meaning of the original word “savour”. Here is what it said: “a sweet smell, fragrance, our efficiency in which the power of Christ himself is at work is well-pleasing to God.”

I then went and looked up the word in the very next verse and found it to be a different form of the word “savour”. It reads “a smell, odor: 2 Corinthians 2:14; such an odor as is emitted by death (i. e. by a deadly, pestiferous thing, a dead body), and itself causes death, 2 Corinthians 2:16; such as is diffused (or emitted) by life, and itself imparts life, ibid. (A. V. both times savor)”

Questions immedietly popped into my head: What kind of smell am I giving off to those around me? Do I smell like the sweetness of one who has been spending time with her Savior? Do I smell like life? Is my life sweet smelling to Christ because I am allowing him to work in me and through me?

I ponder these questions this morning as I sit doing my devotions. At the table with me is my sweet Caleb. We had a rough day yesterday. He is frustrated with reading because it is hard for him. And for me. I have never had a child that I have had to work so hard to teach how to read. He lost his temper yesterday and it took the power of Christ in me not to react sinfully to him. I tried to be patient with him but inside there was turmoil in my heart. It was a constant battle for me yesterday not to get upset with him.

We ended up going to the class at STP that I direct each week and it was a balm for my soul. I spoke words of encouragement to my students and was speaking those very words to myself. Listening to the words I wrote last May came back to give me peace. Songs that Leslie had written spoke into my soul. Caleb came to me on him own and said he was sorry. He started smiling and enjoyed the rest of the day. After class, there was no more fighting. He sat and did his schoolwork without complaint. I saw a change in him. Why?

I think it was because he was surrounded by others who smelled like Christ. He saw kids and adults who love Jesus. I had been with Jesus that morning studying the Bible. He saw a Mom who loves him unconditionally. I have also gotten into the habit of listening to scripture and podcasts during the day. I normally just carry my phone around with me through the house. He has been hearing that.

The last few nights he has had trouble sleeping and I was so tired that I two nights ago I just put on my Bible app and let it play. He fell asleep with Scripture. Last night he came in again and asked me to put it on for him. He then asked if we could put it on his iPod so he could listen to it. He also asked if he could wake up with me to do devotions with me. Like, I am going to tell him no.

Caleb is my child that is hard to wake up and most of the time he is not pleasant. This morning though he popped right up and came out to the kitchen with me. He got his iPod, headphones and coffee (yes, he drinks coffee – don’t judge) and started listening the Genesis. He keeps telling me what chapter he is on. Loudly, because he has headphones on. He also did the schoolwork he can do on his own. A definite change from yesterday.

He has been asking me hard questions about faith and what following Christ looks like. Why? I think it is because he smells a sweet fragrance coming from lots of people in his life. He wants that.

We always go toward the things that smell sweet and run from the things that smell bad. I want to always impart life to my children. That requires that I am meeting with Christ daily filling my life with more of Him and less of the world.

I went into another child’s room last night and told them how proud I was of the changes I have seen in their life. I have seen such a change because this child has truly started following Christ. Oh, it brings me such joy to see my children desiring to walk with Christ. I cried tears of JOY in this child’s room last night over what I see changing. This was on the same day I also cried tears of brokenness over a child’s sin.

Parenting is hard. Life is hard. Every day is different. Heartaches come and JOYOUS moments come. We never know what the day holds when we wake up in the morning. We just need to cling to Jesus and spend time with Him so that whatever happens we can bring glory to Him. I want to always smell of life. Life in Christ. Our children and the culture around us need Jesus and one of the ways He draws them to Himself is by showing them how sweet it can be to follow Him through the lives of Christians who smell of life.

I’ll end how I began. Let my prayer daily be:

“Magnify to me thy glory by being magnified in me and make me redolent of the they fragrance.”