My friend and I have taken up bike riding as a form of exercise accountability. We have enjoyed some wonderful talks and times of getting to know each other over the course of the summer. There were days when we would barely make it down our road and back. Now there are times when we log 15 miles on one ride. Over the months we have logged over 300 miles on our bikes and dread the days when we must move inside due to cold weather.
On several of our rides I noticed that when cars passed or the trail would narrow my friend would always move in behind me. Many times she would stay there long after the car had passed or the passage widened. Finally one day she laughed and said “I love to follow you. You always smell so downy fresh.” Although I felt smelly due to sweat, we had a good giggled over her comment.
As I thought more about her comment I began to think about our walks as Christians. Are those following behind us taking in our freshness? Are we taking in the newness of God’s Word and letting it diffuse out through our lives on to others?
2 Corinthians 2:14-15 says, “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. For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing.”
Are those following you enjoying your fragrance? When the stuff of this world takes place it is so easy to forget to bath in the “laundry detergent” of the Word of God.
I want to encourage you to dig into God’s Word so that as others follow you they will notice that you always smell fresh. Fresh from the Word of God that is…and the other doesn’t hurt either! LOL
Stepping out of the shadows,
Cynthia
Okay, seriously, love this! What a great word picture. I want to be downy fresh...all the way around. :)
ReplyDeleteThis is very good and I appreciate the message so much! It is interesting timing as I wrote about the Pelicano and stinky storage we carry in our hearts! Thank you for the scripture. It is humbling to know God is helping me learn through my own study time and through yours!
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