Key Verse: 2 Corinthians 2:14 

“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.” 

Out of all our senses the one that can make us sick, hungry, or calm is our sense of smell. If we smell something that is disgusting many will immediately begin to gag, while on the other hand if we smell something delicious we then realize that we are hungry. In 2 Corinthians 2:14, Paul is speaking about how God always leads them to victory, and even more so how Christ has already given them the victory. The greek words used in the entire periscope, VV.14-17 ensure us that the background Paul has in mind when writing these verses is that of victory parade. During a ‘triumph’ or parade citizens would release various different kinds of scents into the air. As a result the entire area where the parade was taking place would smell wonderful. 

 It is upon this background that Paul says God diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place through them. This means that Paul and his companions are being used by God to diffuse His gospel and His qualities into the whole world! In a sense, Paul and his companions smelled like Christ. Everywhere they went people noticed something different about them. They talked different, lived different, and all of this was because God was transforming them through His Spirit upon their faith in the gospel message. Now God was using them to get his gospel into all the world! Friend, God wants to use you as well! God wants to use you to get the gospel into your school, your workplace, and even your family. So I ask you, what do you smell like? When others are around you, do they see Jesus in you? Or do you look like the rest of the world? Take a few minutes today and ask God to use you to spread the glorious message of the gospel every where you go!