“For we are to God the aroma of Christ…” — 2 Corinthians 2:15
The Aroma
When I was in college, I worked as a sports cameraman for a local NBC affiliate TV station. My job was to shoot video highlights of local sporting events, interview athletes and coaches, and edit the film for the 6 and 11 p.m. newscasts.
I covered high school, college football and the NFL. I worked high school, college, developmental and NBA basketball games. I shot golf, tennis and pro beach volleyball. Yet one sport stood apart from all others — minor league hockey!
Never a hockey fan growing up, I quickly grew to love the speed and intensity of the game. And who doesn’t love watching a hard (clean) check into boards? Yet none of those make the game stand alone amongst all sports. The aroma of the hockey locker room is like no other! Whew! (No offense intended to any hockey players reading this.)
According to the Bible, some people have a similar repulsion for the smell of followers of Jesus. The Apostle Paul said that we are the “smell of death” to some. We must not forget the message we base our life on — the Good News of forgiveness and redemption through Jesus — is a foreign odor to some. It is the smell of judgement and hopelessness.
Yet to others it is the sweet smell of grace! As you walk in faith, allow the sweet aroma of Jesus to penetrate your surroundings.
— Rob Bentz
If you would like to submit a reader devotional, please email all submissions to jason@sportsspectrum.com.
