Pearl Harbor: in 1941, the scene of a surprise attack by Japan that helped lead America into World War II. On that day, acrid, choking smoke filled the air. If you have been fortunate enough to visit that scene more recently, you cannot help but inhale the wafting sweetness of tuberose, jasmine, and hibiscus. The fragrances spread freely – a sensory gift from the islands.

But thanks be to God, who in Christ…spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.

II Corinthians 2:14

In 2015, when the rotting stench of terrorism and authoritarianism cover much of the world, and religious freedoms are at global peril, consider that God has called America…and, in particular, American Christians…to sweetly represent Him in such a way that knowledge of the Lord permeates from distant villages to near metropolises. Too big an undertaking, you say?

Pass these sniff tests. Rather than being consumed with the “sweet smell of success,” let your life be fragrant with sincerity, sacrifice, and service. God doesn’t require great things from you. A cup of cold water in my name, Jesus said (Mark 9:41). To the one who receives it, it’s as glorious as a lei of tuberoses.

Recommended Reading: II Corinthians 2:15-3:3