What's that Smell?

As I was driving down the road the other day, the car in front of me swerved a little to the right. I quickly saw the reason as I approached the same spot.

A dead skunk in the road!

I only had time to straddle it, hoping that my tires wouldn't make contact. I've heard that even a dead skunk can still do some serious damage to the smell in your car for quite a while. Since it's been kind of warm here, I had my thermostat on outside air. Even though I didn't hit the animal, the pungent odor began filling my car. I quickly turned the vent off to escape the horrible smell.

I realize that skunks are made to put out this odor as a defense mechanism against predators. But isn't it amazing how they are still so offensive after they are dead?

We humans also put out an odor "spiritually" speaking. The Bible says in 2 Cor. 2:16

"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..."

This aroma of life or death can cause people to react to us without our having done anything at all to them personally. If we're not careful, we can become offended, or be defensive, and like the skunk, make a big stink!

Instead, we should be like Ephesians 5:2

"And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour."

Christ was a sweet aroma of life to the Father - and we should be the same.

I've heard there are many remedies for getting rid of the smell if you've been sprayed by a skunk. As I mentioned, even a dead skunk can be potent. Sometimes we have smelly areas in our lives where we've been hurt by others, and we think the offense is dead. Yet, if when think about, or re-tell the events it brings back the same feelings and emotions, it's like the skunk still putting out an odor. In this case, we need a remedy to completely remove the stench of offense.


Often times the remedy is simply remembering how you've been forgiven. Jesus washed away our sins, took our filthy garments and replaced them with His righteousness. We've been commanded to forgive others just as we have been forgiven. Therefore, we choose to forgive ourselves and others for all "dead" things in our past. Then we offer up a sweet smelling sacrifice of praise to God!