Points from the Pastor's Pen

    Dear Friend,

March 2021

“To one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life. And who is equal to the task?” 2 Corinthians 2:16-17

        Smells, aromas and fragrances are all around us. A certain fragrance will invigorate us. For some an aroma will trigger a memory of the past. When I remember the smell of freshly baked bread, my tast buds always begin to salivate.

        As followers of Christ, each of us shares a certain fragrance with our world. When we grumble/complain, a certain aroma surrounds us. When we are thankful and speak bless words, a beautiful fragrance enters the room. Too often I notice the aroma or fragrance of someone else, yet I am completely unaware of my own smell.

Please note the next thought:

Because the good news of the Gospel is communicated through people, it will always be communicated with an aroma or a fragrance. So how do you smell when you share your faith?

        Here are seven things you can do to make sure the fragrance of your life is pleasant when you share your faith with others:

1. Check your breath: How does it smell?
2. Check your heart: Is it clean? Are you living at peace with everyone?
3. Check your forgiveness factor: Choose to forgive and forget.
4. Check your God time: Are you daily in the Word and in worship?
5. Check your attitude: Ask God to release you from a critical, judgmental spirit.
6. Check your mouth: Choose to speak faith-filled bless words.
7. Check your love factor: Each day get filled up with God’s love and then look for opportunities to give that love away.

        May the fragrance of Christ continue to linger in the places you have walked even after you are gone.

Your friend and Pastor

Joel Kallberg