Life Through the Lens: A sweet-smelling gift

This post was contributed by Kevin Schrapel, and is the author’s personal opinion.

Dead-heading her roses, the young woman paused as we drew nearer.

With a welcoming smile, she called, “good afternoon; lovely day,” and returned to caring for her roses.

With a friendly, “it is,” we continued our walk along the country road.

Reaching the end of the road, we turned toward home.

The carer-for-roses was still happily snipping away and as we drew near she suddenly met us on the road carrying a bunch of beautiful roses.

Passing the roses to us, she said, “I had picked these roses and I asked God: is there someone I should give these to?”

“He told me, ‘to the people on the road’.

“I hope you enjoy them.”

After chatting for a few minutes with our new friend, she went back to her roses and we continued with a bunch of roses and a feeling of wonder at the practical gift of friendship from a total stranger.

As we continued our walk with the roses, I recalled the words our Bible study group had discussed earlier in the week, from John 12:3:

Then Mary took a whole pint of a very expensive perfume made of pure nard, poured it on Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair. The sweet smell of the perfume filled the whole house.

The discussion progressed to a question: “What action, thought or word of mine  would smell sweet to God?”

God’s word answers: “your life must be controlled by love, just as Christ loved us and gave his life for us as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice that pleases God” (Ephesians 5:2).

Wandering along in the sunshine, I thought, “this simple bunch of roses and the thoughts of that young mother would have caused God to smile and his nose wrinkle in joy as he sniffed the sweet smell of her act of love”.

I often make a point about how God often focuses on the small, what we might consider insignificant acts of care and love; and how, because of the actions of true love and care motivated by the love from Jesus and his sacrifice, even the smallest act, thought, or word stands tall in the eyes of a God whose constant focus is love.

How can you or I be sure of this?

Jesus says so: “I assure you that anyone who gives you a drink of water because you belong to me will certainly receive a reward” (Mark 9:41).

Fortunately, Jesus sacrificed his life on a cross for the times we have been too busy, blind, self-centred or just missed the opportunity to do or say something which would have made God smile and his nose twitch with the sweet smell of an act of love.

God smiles when we help another smile.

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