An Eye Witness

Have you ever been in the middle of telling a great story only to be interrupted by someone who wants to tell their version? When you have a family like mine, who all like to talk, those interruptions are frequent and expected. We all have our favorite stories to tell, and even though my family has heard them all before, we each listen with excitement and anticipation as though the often-told story were brand new. I love to hear and tell stories. I do find it interesting, however, that the same story, the same event, can be recalled very differently by different individuals. Even within close knit families like mine, everyone is an individual and we all view events through our unique, individual lenses. When I was in graduate school, I took a class in organizational leadership. The focus of the class was learning to view your organization through four distinct frames or lenses. It was one of my favorite classes because it forced me to look at challenges through different frames (lenses), or different perspectives, and describe the same challenge from these four distinct angles. The challenge, or problem, didn't change. The only thing that changed was the angle in which the problem was viewed, assessed and tackled. The main lesson being challenges are rarely one dimensional, but are multifaceted in nature. This fundamental concept helps explain why stories, even familiar family ones, can vary depending upon who is telling the story. I started thinking about this while I was reading a familiar Bible story found in I Samuel, Chapter 17.

The story of David and Goliath is one of many stories I have heard since my childhood. I remember hearing this story in Sunday school and feeling in awe that David, a young teenager, would run bravely to fight a giant! I have heard the account of this event so many times I can tell it on my own, without reading it from scripture. I'm not sure, but I would imagine many people know something about this story. Even if they were not raised in church, people probably know that the story has something to do with a giant. And Goliath was indeed a giant of a man. The story itself is usually referred to simply as the story of 'David and Goliath'. Period. But David and Goliath were only two people involved in this historic event. As I returned to scripture to review this ancient account, I wondered how the other story participants may have described the events of the day.

To give some background, David was the youngest son of a man named Jesse. The story of David and Goliath is outlined in I Samuel 17. But, if you look at the previous chapter, I Samuel 16, you learn that God had sent the prophet Samuel to the house of Jesse for a very important assignment. The Bible tells us King Saul had rejected God, and God instructed Samuel to anoint a new king to take Saul's place. This was Samuel's mission in Chapter 16 when he arrives at Jesse's home. Jesse had eight sons and David was the youngest. Samuel, just like many of us (myself included), thought he knew just what God wanted. When Samuel saw the eldest son, Eliab, Samuel assumed Eliab was the perfect choice for a king. Apparently, Eliab looked the part, because God told Samuel "Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature, because I have refused him; for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart" (I Samuel 16: 7, KJV). Poor Samuel....he was looking at the situation through a different lens than God. As Samuel continued through the first seven sons of Jesse, God consistently said no. Finally, the only son left was David. I Samuel 16: 13 records the anointing of David: "Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the midst of his brethren: and the spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward." Wouldn't it have been interesting to speak with Jesse and hear his account of that day? What did Eliab, and the other brothers, think about the days events? Did the brothers resent being passed over for David? What would David have said about his encounter with the prophet? Different people, same event, different lenses......

After this event, David went back to business as usual. As the youngest son, David was tasked with shepherding his father's sheep. Later in I Samuel 16, we learn that Saul was troubled by an evil spirit. Saul's servants suggested he try some music therapy to calm his troubled soul. Saul thought that sounded like a great idea and told his servants to find a talented musician. Lo and behold....Saul's servants told him about a man named Jesse, who had a musical son named David. Thus David entered the court of Saul. Again, I am so interested in how this story would have been told. You've heard couples or friends tell the story of how they met? I wonder what David thought when he was summoned to Saul's court. How would David later describe how he came to meet King Saul? Did Saul know about Samuel's earlier visit to Jesse's home? David knew....Jesse knew...David's brothers were well aware. Regardless, David now begins his interactions with Saul. And what amazing interactions they would be....

Fast forward to I Samuel 17 and the giant tale. King Saul and his army are camped on the hillside near the valley of Elah. Across the valley on the opposite hills, another army is encamped. The Philistine army (aka Israel's Arch Enemy) is in full battle array. The champion of the Philistine army, Goliath, is causing quite an uproar in the Israelite camp. The King James version describes Goliath as being six cubits and a span tall (I Samuel 17: 4). For those of us who don't speak King James' English.....that is 9 feet and 9 inches!!! Goliath was one big dude! During that time in history, it was not uncommon to engage in something called 'single combat'. This practice allowed for one combatant to represent his army in a dual with a single combatant from the opposing side. Whoever won the dual, won the victory for his army. Goliath details the terms of the dual when he calls out to the Israelite camp in I Samuel 17: 8-10, "And he [Goliath] stood and yelled at the armies of Israel, Why come out and draw up a battle line? I'm a Philistine, and you are servants of Saul, so choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he can fight me and kill me, we'll be your slaves; but if I beat him and kill him, you will become slaves and serve us. The Philistine added, I challenge Israel's armies today- give me a man, and we'll fight it out!"(CJB). The Bible goes on to say that when Saul and all his army heard the words of Goliath....they were shaken and terrified. Among the members of Saul's army were Jesse's three oldest sons, David's older brothers.

It is bad enough to know the army of Israel trembled at Goliath's words. But to make matters worse, the giant had been taunting the Israelites every morning, and every evening, for forty days! For forty days the armies had been aligned on their respective hilltops overlooking the Elah valley. Day after day, morning and evening, Goliath issued his frightening challenge to Saul's army. If a war correspondent would have been embedded on the Philistine hilltop, the reporting from the battlefield would likely have been positive. Maybe something like "We continue to see little movement on the opposite hills. Goliath continues to issue his challenge twice each day with no response from Saul's army. Perhaps a victory is close at hand!' However, a reporter for the local Israelite paper would likely compose a different headline, "King Saul continues to work on his strategy for defeating Goliath. More news to follow.". I don't really know....obviously I would be a lame reporter, but you get the idea. Same challenge, different lens. King Saul must have been a nervous wreck. Again, I don't really know, but the stalemate at the valley of Elah could not continue indefinitely. Something had to give...

During the forty day standoff, someone else was anxiously awaiting news from the front lines. The Bible records that Jesse called his youngest son, David, and sent him on a mission to check on Jesse's three oldest sons who were in Saul's army. David was busy tending Jesse's sheep when he was summoned. Being a responsible shepherd, David left his sheep in the care of a helper and headed out to check on his brothers and the status of the battle. When David arrived at the battlefield, he quickly found his brothers. While David was talking to them, Goliath yelled his usual challenge, the same one he had been issuing twice a day for forty days. But this time, David heard Goliath's words. Let me just say....David did not take it lightly. I quote "Who is this uncircumcised Philistine anyway, that he challenges the armies of the living God?"(I Samuel 17:26b, CJB). Apparently Goliath wasn't saying anything different than he had been saying for the past forty days. But this time, David heard Goliath's threat. Same words, different ears... David understood Goliath's taunting words were really taunting God's ability to defend the army of Israel, and David was not about to stand idly by.

Remember, David and Goliath are only two people present at this historical event. When David took offense at Goliath's challenge, David's brother Eliab became angry. But not angry at Goliath....Eliab was mad at David. Eliab questioned David: "Why camest thou down hither? and with whom hast thou left those few sheep in the wilderness?"(I Samuel 17: 28a, KJV). It sounds like Eliab had a chip on his shoulder. Maybe Eliab resented the fact that God has chosen David over him. I don't know. But David turned away from his brother and began to express his opinion of Goliath to other soldiers. King Saul caught wind of David's words and sent for the young shepherd. So we find David (shepherd, evil spirit soothing harpist, anointed future king, teenager) standing in front of King Saul. (Just a point..You would think Saul would recognize David, after all, David was the skilled musician called to play in Saul's court. However, we learn later in Chapter 17, Saul did not know David's identity and asked his army captain, Abner, to find out who David's father was.) David basically tells King Saul, 'Don't worry. Don't lose heart because of him [Goliath]! I got this....I will fight Goliath!'. King Saul replies, 'You can't fight him! You're just a boy, and Goliath has been a warrior since his youth.' Saul pretty much said....'Are you crazy! Have you seen this guy!' But David was not dissuaded. King Saul must have been feeling guilty about having a teenager volunteer while the rest of the army, Saul included, shook with fear. Saul even tried to have David wear his kingly armor. The scripture describes how David put on Saul's armor and tried to walk. The armor was made for Saul, not for David, and David quickly decided it was not a good fit. You see, David already had armor, but not the kind Saul was offering. David tells Saul, "Adonai, who rescued me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear, will rescue me from the paw of this Philistine!" Saul said to David, "Go, may Adonai be with you." (I Samuel 17:37, CJB). What was Saul thinking as David marched off to fight Goliath? What were David's brothers thinking? The Bible doesn't answer those questions, but we do learn what Goliath thought as he saw David approaching.

As David heads out, he has a stick in his hand and he chooses five smooth stones from the riverbed, placing them in his shepherd's bag. Can you imagine the tension in the air as both armies realize the stalemate is coming to an end? Someone is about to lose a battle. Looking strictly at the combatants....which side would you pick to be on? David was focused on one thing: someone had dared insult Adonai, and David was not going to allow the challenge to go unaccepted. Goliath, on the other hand, had been itching for a fight for over a month. Now...finally, the giant would get his wish But wait a minute...as David came closer, Goliath looked David up and down and "had nothing but scorn for what he saw- a boy with ruddy cheeks, red hair and good looks" (I Samuel 17: 42, CJB). Goliath yelled at David, "Am I a dog? Is that why you're coming at me with sticks?" (CJB). David responds to the Philistine, "You're coming at me with a sword, a spear and a javelin. But I'm coming at you in the name of Adonai-Tzva'ot (the Lord of Hosts), the God of the armies of Israel, which you have challenged. Today Adonai will hand you over to me..."(I Samuel 17:45-46, CJB). Did you catch David's armor? Saul's armor was man made, sized for Saul. Goliath's weapons and armor were also man made, sized for Goliath (he wore a bronze armor plate weighing 120 pounds). But David......David said man made armor was not his defense. David chose to fight Goliath through the name of God! The remainder of I Samuel 17 goes on to tell how David did indeed defeat Goliath with one stone flung from a slingshot. If you haven't read the Biblical account, I would encourage you to read it.

Going back to my opening remarks about different frameworks or different lenses.... When David heard Goliath's insulting remarks, David knew some things the other event participants didn't know. David had been in more than one life-threatening situation. While guarding his father's sheep, David hadn't encountered a human giant, but he had encountered other giants (lions, bears, fear of being eaten, loneliness, etc.). David had a history with God. David knew God was reliable. David knew God could deliver him from the hand of Goliath. As David approached Goliath on the field of battle, Goliath was looking through a different lens. Goliath hadn't been out with the sheep when the flock was attacked. Goliath hadn't witnessed God's deliverance of a seemingly, helpless young boy. King Saul wasn't familiar with David's story. The king didn't even know who David's father was. Surely David's brothers had heard David tell stories about how he had killed the lion and the bear. Maybe Eliab thought David was telling a tall tale about his sheep herding adventures? Lots of people, lots of different lenses.....the same event.

We are all participants in the story of life. We are all part of the bigger story, but we all have our own personal stories we live everyday. Revisiting the story of David and Goliath reminded me how we all experience things from a unique, individual perspective. My life story is definitely not the story of King David, but we have something in common. As I face giants in my life, I can look back with confidence (just like David) and say....God has always been with me. I am an eye witness to the fact that God delivered me before and I know He will do it again!. Praise God!

But, just as importantly, I want to encourage anyone who is facing giants in your own life. People around you may not see your giants because they are looking through different lenses. That doesn't make the giants any less real. I can not look at your situation through your lens. Jesse, King Saul, Eliab, Goliath, all the soldiers....no one could look at Goliath through the same lens David was using. But I want to serve as a reliable witness....God is a Deliverer. If you need deliverance.....ask God to show up and trust that He will. You may be surprised at how quickly your giants can fall....

Still listening...

Heart Disease

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC, 2019), the United States has a problem with heart disease. Take a look at these facts reported by the CDC:

1. Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States (US)

2. One person dies every 37 seconds in the US from cardiovascular disease (that equals about 647,000 Americans each year)

3. Heart disease costs the US approximately $219 billion each year

4. Around 18.2 million adults age 20 and older have coronary artery disease

5. In the US someone has a heart attack every 40 seconds

6. About 1 in 5 heart attacks is silent (the damage is done but the person is unaware)

These are scary statistics. However, studies have been able to identify several key factors that contribute to the development of heart disease, including high blood pressure, elevated blood cholesterol and smoking. Other medical conditions and lifestyle choices may also increase the chances a person will develop heart disease: diabetes, obesity, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle and excessive alcohol (CDC, 2019). Given the availability of medical information and the prevalence of public health campaigns, you might assume most Americans are familiar with the risk factors associated with heart disease and therefore, are adequately equipped to head off the development of such a deadly culprit. But a quick review of the CDC facts paints an entirely different picture. I have been a healthcare provider for over 30 years. On any given day I encounter patients who are battling heart disease or are struggling with a number of key risk factors. There is ample evidence to suggest Americans can lower their incidence of heart disease by addressing some of these key risk factors. Yet we continue to battle high blood pressure and cholesterol, eat unhealthy diets, rank number 12 in the world for obesity and have 14% of our population that smokes. I have never taken care of a patient who said, "Boy, am I glad I'm not too healthy!". I think everyone would like to be in good health. But....sometimes it is SO hard. I am thankful that I have never been a smoker or had problems with high blood pressure, but healthy eating and weight control have been battles I have been fighting most of my adult life. Even though I KNOW how to eat healthy and maintain a healthy weight.....I don't always do what I KNOW to do. Even though I KNOW evidence shows that eating a healthy diet and keeping your weight under control helps avoid high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity.....does this list sound familiar? You bet. The best thing I could do to avoid developing heart disease, is do those things that I KNOW can promote a HEALTHY HEART.

Recently, as I have been praying and reading the Word, I have been focused on the conditions in our nation. I know the current events have been on many people's hearts and minds. I have been trying to prepare a posting for over a week but I just couldn't seem to get settled enough to write down my thoughts. Please bear with me as I share things that have occurred to me during this season. As always, my blog is not intended to be confrontational, but rather an honest, and at times scarily vunerable, representation of things I feel God is trying to teach me. Sadly, I feel our beloved country is suffering from a heart condition.

George Santayana was an influential American philosopher and author (Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy). Santayana is often compared to Ralph Waldo Emerson in terms of his prowess as an author. If you are not familiar with Santayana, you might be familiar with one of his most famous quotes, "Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it" (IPE). Sir Winston Churchill paraphrased this quote when he said, "A nation that forgets its past is doomed to repeat it" (LibertyTree.ca). The concept of a people suffering from a condition of the heart is not new. Unfortunately, we can look throughout history and document dark periods of pain and injustice. We cannot wipe out the past, but we can learn from previous situations and societies. People have always been, and will continue to be, just people. And all people have flaws.

In Matthew 12:34-35, Jesus speaks directly to the condition of the heart: "You brood of snakes! How could evil men like you speak what is good and right? For whatever is in your heart determines what you say. A good person produces good things from the treasury of a good heart, and an evil person produces evil things from the treasury of an evil heart." Jesus always looked beyond the external. He wasn't impressed with meaningless words, because He knew that what was in the heart would ultimately come out. This truth reminds me of the phrase, 'You can fool some of the people some of the time but you can't fool all of the people all of the time'. The truth has a way of revealing itself.

Last weekend I heard a great sermon from Pastor Robert Madu who was ministering from Elevation Church. The title of his message was "Living in the Tension". You can catch it on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F7JbRH-WIZc). The tension he was referring to was the struggle for balance between grace and truth. John 1:14 (KJV) reads, "And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father), full of grace and truth". The message was powerful! There was one statement that has rattled around in my brain over the last few days. Pastor Madu explained that Jesus was FULL of grace and truth. Not 50/50....but FULL of both. Here is the brain-sticking phrase: 'Grace without truth is meaningless, and truth without grace is just mean'. Whoa!! That phrase seemed so applicable in terms of what we need today. That delicate, but necessary, balance between grace and truth allows honest dialogue to pass between people. Even between people who may think they are polar opposites.

I was fortunate to be raised by parents who instilled in me the belief that ALL people have an inherent dignity and worth. My parents were both raised in small, predominately white rural Missouri towns. Neither of my parents went to college, neither ever attended a lecture on diversity, cultural sensitivity or political correctness. Their inclusive view of people was rooted in a single, foundational truth......ALL people are created in the image of God, and therefore, ALL people deserve to be treated with respect. Plain and simple....yet profound. My parents could certainly be seen in Matthew 12....for it was out of the abundance of their hearts that they spoke. Don't get me wrong......My parents had their own views and beliefs. But they understood something that people seem to have forgotten. You can hold opposing views with a fellow human being and still respect them. Maya Angelou puts it beautifully in her famous poem, Human Family: "I note the obvious differences between each sort and type, but we are more alike, my friends, than we are unalike" (Wouldn't take nothing for my journey now, 1993). How have we forgotten the fundamental truth that people are just people? Each person unique and valuable. Each life worth living, regardless of color, gender, ethnicity, socioeconomic status........all people precious in God's sight. Psalm 139:14 (KJV) reminds us, "I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made....". My beautiful parents grasped the message contained in those words and they lived their lives accordingly.

Jesus commented on people who were quick to point out faults in others while overlooking faults of their own (Matthew 7:1-5). It is always easier to see shortcomings in others (truth), but it is MUCH harder to view those shortcomings through a lens of basic respect (grace). For example, you can't drive around with a 'Coexist' bumper sticker and then demand apologies from anyone who has an opposing view or a belief that contradicts your views or beliefs. The very term coexist means, "to exist in mutual tolerance despite different ideologies or interests" (Oxford Dictionary). So why is there such virulent hatred in our nation? The very fact that I used a 'Coexist' bumper sticker as an example is enough to incite anger from many people. But there are countless examples. For instance, you can't go to church and preach John 3:16 then turn your nose up if someone walks in your church who looks different than you. There are people on both sides of the aisle who are quick to judge. However, I do believe the majority of people truly want peace and equitable treatment for all. Most people want to coexist.....but to do so peacefully means we exist DESPITE our differences. In fact, it is our distinct differences that create the tapestry of diversity.

In the New Testament the Apostle Paul spoke to an argument that had arisen between Jewish (circumcised) and Gentile (uncircumcised) believers in Jesus Christ. Paul makes it clear in Romans 2 that the Jewish believers were focusing on the differences between themselves and the Gentile converts. The Jewish believers were focused on external differences. Paul tells the Jews that "true circumcision is of the heart, spiritual not literal" (CJB). In other words, a true believer could be identified by the change that had occurred in his heart. Both camps, Jewish and Gentile, had something in common. They had the MOST important thing in common: the belief that Jesus Christ was the Messiah, their Savior, the Savior of the world. Remember again the words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew..."for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh"(KJV). Paul was teaching on the importance of the condition of the heart. King David understood the importance of maintaining a healthy heart. In Psalm 51:10 (CJB) the king pleads with God to "create in me a clean heart, God, renew in me a resolute spirit". A clean heart and resolute spirit. The Jewish believers reprimanded by Paul would have done well to review the cries of King David's heart.

So how does our nation move toward healing? How do we move toward a place where everyone is valued, everyone is respected, everyone is heard? I believe we must begin by laying a foundation of truth and grace. Our foundation must be anchored in the knowledge that ALL people are fearfully and wonderfully made in the very image of God. If we believe that.....if I believe that.....a change of heart is inevitable. Mark 12:30-31 outlines the two most important commands given by Christ. The first deals with our love for God. The second tells us to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. I understand there are people who don't believe in God, and therefore those people would discount the first command. But surely, even nonbelievers, could embrace the value found within the second command! What a different world this would be if we would all treat others as we want to be treated! Imagine the impact.....what would our nation look like if that were the case. I have heard some people say God is color blind. I think I understand what they are trying to say.....but I view it differently. I think God LOVES color. God has created such incredible diversity. He did not create everyone to be exactly the same.....we have different skin tones, hair and eye colors, sizes and shapes, and a plethora of ideas. But I guess you could argue God's 'color blindness' is because He doesn't look at the outside to assess a person, rather He looks at the inside, at the heart. I Samuel 16 describes Samuel's experience as God instructs him to anoint David, the future king. Samuel, the great prophet, is immediately impressed with Jesse's oldest son because Eliab 'looked' like a potential king. But God had to set Samuel straight. God told Samuel, "Don't pay attention to how he looks or how tall he is, because I have rejected him. Adonai doesn't see the way humans see; humans look at the outward appearance, but Adonai looks at the heart" (CJB). What would happen if people could look at other people and see what was in their heart?

I know there have been many times when I wouldn't have wanted people to peer into the contents of my heart. God has often prompted me to do a checkup on my heart....sometimes I have listened, others times I have ignored His loving plea. Maybe it is time for all of us to check ourselves. What is in your heart? I don't mean what words do you use to explain your heart condition. But what is truly happening in your heart? What is there in the part no one sees.....what is there when you are alone? Would you be comfortable if you walked outside today and everyone could see the contents of your heart? I want my passion to match that of King David. God.....create in me a clean heart. Only with a clean, healthy heart will I be able to love God and love people.

Perhaps it's time we all consulted the Great Physician for a heart exam........

Excuse me..what's that fragrance you're wearing?

The sense of smell is a powerful thing. Smells are closely linked to memories. One whiff of a particular scent and you can find yourself transported back in time to a certain place or event. Memories, good and bad, are wrapped in scents and sounds that form strong associations in our hearts and minds. A study from 2014 suggested humans are able to distinguish 1 trillion different odors (discovermagazine.com, 2017). That makes for a LOT of memory associations! However, the vast majority of that olfactory recognition occurs in our subconscious mind; we are impacted by many odors of which we are simply unaware. Did you know that people have their own unique scent, much like the uniqueness of their fingerprint? I love the moment when I hug my kids or grandkids and inhale their signature smell, each one familiar...each one unique. Researchers also propose that scents can carry emotions and those emotions can be 'contagious' to those around you. For example, if you are watching something funny you may give off a scent that makes others happy. Similarly, you may detect a bad vibe if you enter an area where someone fearful had been standing a few moments before (discovermagazine.com). Our lives are surrounded, and apparently greatly influenced, by a barrage of recognized, and unconsciously recognized, scents. Recently I experienced the time-traveling effect of a familiar aroma on a long forgotten memory.

I enjoy taking walks, especially when I get to enjoy nature to boot. I had gotten rather lazy about my physical activity and decided I needed to get moving. There is a lovely trail at the edge of my little town that provides a suitable mix of walking space and natural beauty. A colleague had recommended this area in early spring. My initial jaunts found me surrounded by winter-bare trees and brown ground cover. But I didn't mind. The birds, squirrels, ducks and frogs didn't seemed bothered by the subdued landscape either. I quickly grew to love walking on the trail and listening to the every-changing nature sounds. As the weather began to warm, early summer brought evolving changes to the landscape as well. At first, I noticed small snippets of green as the trees began to bud. Then the brown ground cover gave way to shoots of green grass and weeds poking through toward the warmth of the sun. Every time I went for a walk, the scenery was new, different. Then, one day as I came up a hill I was stopped in my tracks by a beautiful, sweet aroma. Wait a minute! I recognize that scent....it was familiar, sweet and something I, unknowingly, had been missing! I took another couple of steps and there it was....a large honeysuckle bush.This revelation might not seem significant to you. But, the magical fragrance of the honeysuckle had beamed me back to my childhood home. I closed my eyes and breathed deeply. I could remember lying in my bed on a warm summer night with the window open to catch any breeze. Just outside my bedroom window was a lane that lead from the front yard to the barn behind the house. And on the far side of the lane were big, beautiful honeysuckle bushes loaded with flowers. At night I would lie on my back, perfectly still, and take slow deep breaths of honeysuckle-scented air. It was better than any perfume I had ever smelled! Lying there, enjoying the floral perfume I would often be serenaded by the distinct song of a whippoorwill. Honeysuckles and whippoorwills.....forever associated in my brain. I cannot remember the last time I heard a whippoorwill's song in the night, but the lovely aroma of the honeysuckle had stirred up a vivid, pleasant memory. The scent-memory connection was in full swing and I enjoyed it immensely.

So, as often happens to me when a subject catches my interest, I began to think about scents, aromas, fragrances....and the powerful role they play in daily life. The role of fragrance is not only important in our lives, but also appears to be important to God. After bringing the children of Israel out of Egypt, God had given Moses very specific, detailed instructions regarding the tent of meeting and how to approach God. Exodus 30:7 tells us,"Aharon will burn fragrant incense on it [an altar] as a pleasing aroma every morning; he is to burn it when he prepares the lamps (Complete Jewish Bible, CJB). Later in the same chapter of Exodus, God instructs Moses on the blending of the anointing oil. Verse 25 reads, "and make them into a holy anointing oil; blend it and perfume it as would an expert perfume maker; it will be a holy anointing oil"(CJB). I'm not sure what the fragrance of the incense or the anointing oil was actually like, but I would imagine that incense and perfumed oil designed by God would smell incredible! God enjoys fragrance. Leviticus 6:21 describes the grain offering, "It must be carefully mixed with olive oil and cooked on a griddle. Then slice this grain offering and present it as a pleasing aroma to the Lord" (New Living Translation, NLT). Numbers 28 mentions again a 'pleasing aroma to God 'when daily, Sabbath and monthly offerings are described. Sacrifices are associated with pleasing aromas. Time and again scripture connects gifts, offerings and repentance with the understanding that these bring a pleasing aroma to God. But up to this point, all these references pertain to worship under the Old Covenant when access to God was limited and allowed only under strict, non-negotiable rules. But that all changed with a Man called Jesus (Yeshua).

I have always been taught that the Old Testament, the Old Covenant, is a foreshadow of Christ and the New Covenant. In fact, everything in scripture ultimately points to Christ and God's marvelous plan of salvation. As always, Jesus serves as our example. "Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God" (Ephesians 5:2, NLT). There it is! The same language God used in the Old Testament when He instructed Moses on worship. A pleasing aroma to God...a pleasing aroma to God. As a follower of Christ, I am also called to be an example, an ambassador, a testament to the One who leads me. II Corinthians 2:14-16 puts it like this: "But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ's triumphal process. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. 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?".

As I thought about the perfume of Christ, I remembered another Biblical story about a woman with a shady past. Jesus was invited to dine at the home of a Pharisee (Luke 7). While Jesus was there, a certain woman (with a bad reputation) stood behind Jesus and began to weep. She cried so much that her tears wet his feet. The woman wiped his feet with her hair, kissed his feet and poured expensive perfume on them. The woman's act of absolute love and worship had brought tears to her eyes......but had also released a fragrant aroma that filled the room. A pleasing aroma....released through the sacrifice of worship. If you read this story in Luke, you will notice that there were two distinct reactions to the woman's behavior. The Pharisee was critical, pointing out the woman's questionable past. But Jesus was focused on her present actions, not her past mistakes. The fragrance that filled the room was from one perfume.....the same fragrance was smelled by everyone present, but to some it was pleasant and to others irritating. Notice also that the woman used her hair to wipe Christ's feet. Have you ever used a shampoo or fragrance that left a lingering scent in your hair? Do you imagine the woman left the room with the fragrance of the expensive perfume on her hair, her hands or her clothes? Do you think she carried a noticeable aroma with her as she left that room? Was her time in worship recognizable due to the lingering perfume?

I have thought a lot about fragrance as I studied these scriptures. And I have wondered.....what fragrance do I leave behind as I move throughout my day? Over the past fifteen years, I have been an unwilling nomad (in all fairness, partially unwilling). Follow my journey and you'll see what I mean. Starting in 2005: lived in Missouri, moved to Virginia, back to Missouri. Headed to Colorado, moved to California (land of my birth), then north to Oregon. Back south to Arizona, then all the way to Maine! Back to Missouri, then back to California, return to Colorado....one more time to Arizona, and finally, back to Missouri! I am tired just writing it. There is a BIG story associated with that journey, but that is not the point I want to make. In each location I continued to work, full-time. As you can imagine....I have met a LOT of people. Most of those people were in, and then out, of my life. But, I have made many friends and through the wonder of social media I am in contact with quite a few. So I have to ask myself......what scent did I give off during my travels? Was my interactions with others shrouded in a Christ-like fragrance cloud? Was the 'scent' of my presence pleasing to some and irritating to others? How do the people remember me? I mentioned the strong association between scents and memory. Did I give off a Christ-like fragrance as portrayed in II Corinthians 2? Or did I go away with a sour, unpleasant scent trail lingering behind? I can't say with certainty....only God can know the full answer to those questions.

Fragrance... a sweet aroma takes work. Perfumers work diligently to combine just the right ingredients to create that perfect scent profile.To benefit from the perfumers work and revel in a favored perfume, I first must spritz it on. Before I can enjoy the fragrance of honeysuckle, the bush must grow and bloom. When the priests prepared the sacrifices, incense and oil, exacting work was involved. Before the air was scented with perfume, the woman had to pour the flask on Christ's feet. Only after the woman's act of worship, did she carry the perfume's scent.

As I spend more time in the Word, more time listening with my heart...my hope is that the sweet perfume of Christ will be obvious in my life. Whether I am at home, at work, with my family or in any setting...may my scent signature be a pleasing aroma to Christ. Perhaps someone will say: Excuse me..what's that fragrance you're wearing?