What do we smell like?

I’ll admit it. I don’t like snakes. I think they are creepy — even the non poisonous ones. I’ve tried to learn the difference between poisonous and harmless, but I can never remember if diamonds mean bad or good. So I just have the mentality to stay away from all of them.

I love walking in the woods … but I do not want to share the woods with the snakes. Anyone know of a trail that is clear of snakes?

The Bible passage I read a couple of weeks ago was Psalms 140. David is talking about his enemies and honestly — he’s praying for bad things to happen to them.

Let me backup, first of all he describes his enemies as violent men who plan evil things in their heart as they gather for war. Then he mentions they sharpen their tongues like a snake, and the poison of asps are under their lips.

Oh yikes. That just gives me the heebie-jeebies. Then the Bible teacher goes into details that a snake doesn’t really have a nose. He has the ability to smell through his tongue. The tongue is placed into a little gland at the roof of his mouth that secretes juices. Then the snake sticks the tongue out to catch the scent of the prey or feels the vibration with his tongue.

David says his enemies are trying to catch his scent — get a whiff of him because they want to destroy him.

When a venomous snake bites his prey the muscles contract in his jaw and squeeze some glands that excrete the venom which comes down into the hollow fangs and act as a hypodermic needle that injects the poison.

Oh yikes! I hate even typing those words. But then when my Bible study partner said she wanted to make sure she smelled like God to scare the enemy away, that got me thinking.

Smell is such an important sense for us. We smell smoke and know something is burning. I smell a cinnamon candle and immediately relax and take a big whiff to enjoy the smell. Today I either smelled a skunk or I smelled coffee brewing as I was driving. Is it possible that the great smell of coffee can resemble the smell of a skunk?

Maybe my nose was just still asleep. I don’t like how coffee tastes but I love how it smells. (Sorry .. chasing rabbits, skunks and snakes!)

Have you ever been around someone who has brought the food odors with them? I worked at a fast food restaurant after graduating from college (I know, sounds crazy). But it was close and hours allowed me to still help at the church we were at. But I came home smelling just like that restaurant. That’s probably one reason it’s not my hubby’s favorite fast food place.

Well, if we’ve spent time with God, in His word and praying … we should smell like God. When the enemy sticks out that nasty tongue and searches for someone disgruntled and who is eaten up with hate and bitterness he gets excited. But he’s already in control of them. Maybe he sniffs for a person searching for God, but just isn’t quite ready to believe yet. He tries to inject a little poison like, “You don’t have to find God today. There’s no way He could ever love you. Remember the things you’ve done?”

Oh, that devil is a sneaky enemy. He lies. “This one time time won’t kill you.” Or maybe he says, “No one will know.”

Maybe he gets us worrying about the future. “You’ll never have enough money to survive your senior years. Look at the price of things. You can’t make any donations. You’d better save your funds for a rainy day. It’s going to rain!”

Or he says, “You don’t need to tell that person how Jesus changed your life. They have a right to believe whatever they want. They will make fun of you.”

I can’t speak for you. But I don’t want to attract more enemies in my direction. I’m my own worst enemy. 

I want to smell like God’s Word. Like fresh laundry. Or the clean smell after a refreshing rain. 

The last part of Chapter 140 states, “I know that the Lord will maintain the cause of the afflicted, and justice for the poor. Surely the righteous shall give thanks to your name; the upright shall dwell in your presence.”

What words of comfort. God controls what’s happening in the universe, yet He still has time to see what’s happening in our hearts. There’s plenty of evil around. Let’s chase the evil back into its hole with the smell of God in our lives. But unlike David who prayed evil on his enemies, Paul tells us in Romans 12 to be kind to our enemies. Remember we are responsible for praying they can see the evil for what it is and Jesus Christ is the only way to enjoy life and live forever in an indescribable place with God.