The fragrance of Christ is Amazing.

I had occasion, last night, to attend a meeting, at which I am not permitted to contribute, except when asked something specific.

This meeting always starts with a devotional and because I feel a bit like I don't belong, and shouldn't speak, I don't contribute to these discussions either.

Last night the short devotional was on the well known verses in Romans 12: 1-2:  "Offer yourselves as a living sacrifice", and "do not be conformed by the world but be transformed by the renewal of your mind".

The leader of the devotion commented on how easy it is to be sucked in to all the terrible events which go on in the world, and how hard it is to bring any conversation about what happens in the media, round to the things of God. It is indeed.  How can you even begin to talk about God in the face of violence, people smuggling and corruption on a world scale?

But I don't think that's what God wants us to do.  He wants us to share the good news of his gospel, but we can't do this by contriving a conversation about Him, with people who don't particularly want to hear it.

The leader said that he hardly ever talks to people about God because of how difficult it is to introduce God into a conversation around what happens in the world.

But I often find myself talking about God to people.

I think my Learned Leader last night, got it all wrong.  You can't preach at people, banging on at them about what happens in the media and what God might think about that, or how they should respond to God.

You can just talk to people in your own circle, about what they want to talk about.  You enter into their world, with them and wait to see what they might say to you, about what troubles them. It's all about them. You listen, and sometimes they will tell you their fears;  they might tell you their joys.  They might even tell you of the things they have done, which they are not proud of.   You sit with them, and hear what they say. You don't judge. You can't talk at them, always with your answer ready, to show them your brilliant doctrine, or your enlightened spirituality.

They don't care about that.

They care about what is happening to them at that moment, in their world. And if you can be in that circle, with them, for even a brief moment, you might be able to be the fragrance of Christ to them;  not with your amazing wit, or your intelligent answers (save those for the public arena if that's your thing) or even your vast knowledge of the Bible.

They will pick, every time, when it's all about you.

But when you step into their space, at their level, with what's it like for them uppermost in your mind, you might be surprised how many times God is there with you.  And them.

Sometimes, for  me, it's a conversation, brief; an interchange, perhaps at the fish counter outside the local meat shop;  a conversation which might lead to them sharing with me, say, that they are awaiting tests from an oncologist.  It's the tiniest of moments, but when I enter that moment with them, I often find that it's not a chance to contrive a conversation about God, or a lesson on doctrine, or a judgment on where their life might be headed, but simply a chance to care for them, in that moment.  They know it's genuine.  I've may not have even mentioned God.  But God is there, nevertheless, in that moment.  As sure as I know my own name, I know he's there, with them and with me.

And I leave it to Him, to decide what to do about them.  I pray for them too.  I leave them in His care.

The power to be the fragrance of Christ is in those kinds of exchanges.  Not in the contrived conversations of people who think they are Spiritually Better than secular people. It's the power of God to use you because you are an empty vessel;  a channel through which God's love passes.

Amazing.