ARE WE KNOWN BY OUR REPUTATION OR OUR FRAGRANCE?

OCTOBER 20, 2014

There was a comedy show with a familiar theme song that you will remember if you remember the show.  The show was Cheers and the theme song’s lyrics were:

You wanna go where people know,
people are all the same,
You wanna go where everybody knows
your name.

Although these words were found true, it was also true that each one of the characters, although known by their names, were also known by their reputation and character. 

Life for us who aren’t actors is no different.  We each have a reputation that we tend to live up to.  

We have a reputation in our home, in the workplace, in our church and in our inner circle and each of our reputations may be different in each of our environments.

Our reputations (yes reputations plural) may be different in each of our environments.  We don’t act the same way at home as we do at work or as we do at church because for some reason we become different people with different reputations for different reasons.  Regard-less of the environment, we must ask ourselves are we in character? or out of character?

Our reputation whether good or bad, honorable or dishonorable, highly regarded or disre-garded or one of repute or ill repute is something that follows us all of our lives and sadly, we get labeled by our reputation instead of our fragrance.  A reputation can be a good thing but character is better.  John Wooden said “your reputation is who people think you are your character is who you really are.”  So who are we really?    What is our reputation?  What is your reputation?  It is our reputation that is what people will remember when we leave the room or is it our fragrance?

I’ll be honest with you; I’ve left a room where people were made aware of my reputation.  I’m a no nonsense person when it comes to advocating and fighting for those who don’t have a voice or who have been done an injustice and I’ve became known as an advocate and fighter.  I have also BTT (Before the transformation) had a reputation of being pig headed and strong willed.

Over the years as my relationship with CHRIST has grown and HIS work in my life has me leaving something different behind. I don’t leave the stench of having to have the last say, or being right or pride; all that has dissipated.  I now, because of GOD’s handiwork, leave something completely different behind.  I’ve been touched by the MASTER and because of HIS grace there is sweet fragrance that is left behind.  Not because of me but because of HIM in me.   But there are times that I miss the mark like everyone else.  I 'm still a work in progress.

We are to be the fragrance that is spoken of in the Bible:

2 Corinthians 2:14-16 but thanks are to GOD, who in CHRIST always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads, the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere. For we are the aroma of CHRIST to GOD among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing, to one a fragrance from death to death, to the other a fragrance from life to life.

It is said that humans can distinguish over 10,000 different smells.  But as CHRISTIANS we’re only interested in one aroma that is given off to those that we come in contact with.  We’ve been handpicked, saved, sanctified and set apart to spread the fragrance of life.  We are chosen to be the sweet aroma that moves among the lost and brokenhearted for HIS name sake.   And make no mistake this aroma has nothing to do with reputation.

My reputation is meaningless, but the character of who I represent and the aroma dispelled from my life, my service, and my works which remains in the environment long after I’ve left is because of HIS transforming power in my life.  It's not the person that shines, it's life changing power of GOD that sets us apart.

Living in this world today reputations are over rated.  The current situations of this world are in need of the spreading the knowledge of who CHRIST is.  Some will appreciate the message that we spread while others won’t.  Some will like us for what we’ve shared while others will hate us.  Some may be drawn to us while others may reject us.  Some may draw near to us while others will run from us.  

Our purpose and task at hand is to spread the aroma and the message so we must be reminded that we have no control over how or if the people receive it.  At the end of the day all we have to do is live out the message.

To be associated with that amazing scent always wearing that same signature scent so when we leave an environment the people will get a whiff of the fragrance of CHRIST left behind is key in the times we’re living in.  Our natural sense of smell is powerful so why not leave an aroma be-hind that can cause others to experience the unconditional love of CHRIST.

When you leave an environment what do people remember about you the most?  Your reputation or your fragrance?  That’s a lot for all of us to think about.

GOD BLESS