Our neighbors have a bush growing along their driveway that gives off a sweet and abundant fragrance. Walking by it, I always take a deep breath, and savor the beautiful aroma. It's not too strong, not overpowering, just unobtrusively sweet.
As I was walking by the plant recently, I took a deep breath and the Holy Spirit convicted my heart that I had not been like that plant this week. Specifically, I was reminded that my speech had been far from sweet (though it had been abundant). In fact, with all the negative, complaining things I had said, I had very closely resembled a skunk cabbage!
I knew there was a verse somewhere that referenced a "sweetsmelling savour" in the context of speech. So, I did what any 30-something smart phone user would do: I pulled up my Bible app and did a quick search. It was Ephesians 5 I had been thinking of. Here's what it says:
"Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 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 sweetsmelling savour." (1-2)
At first glance, the reference to the "sweetsmelling savour" appears to apply only to Christ's sacrifice for us. Of course that would be a pleasing sacrifice to God! But notice that this description of Christ's sacrifice is preceded by a command to be "followers of God" and to "walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us", --In other words, we are to do as Jesus did: to love others by giving ourselves for them.
This still didn't seem to connect with the way the Holy Spirit had convicted me about my speech, but then I read on. The next two verses were the "aha" moment for me and reminded me why I had expected this passage to be connected to how a Christian should speak:
"But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks."(3-4)
This instruction about our speech directly follows and is connected with the thought that our love and sacrifice for others ought to mirror Christ's love and sacrifice for us. This is shown (at least in part) by what we choose to say.
Read over the list again. The first three items are sins that should not even be discussed: Matthew Henry puts it this way: "these sins must be dreaded and detested in the highest degree". In other words, I don't need to be telling or listening to descriptions of what the wicked are doing and saying in these areas. (An obvious application here would be reading tabloids that give all the "juicy details" of a scandal.)
The next three on the list have to do with joking about things that should be taken seriously. I have to admit, as I looked back over the week, my speech was measuring up pretty well. But then there's the last item on the list: "But rather giving of thanks".
There it was.
I had been whining and complaining, griping about so many things --No wonder my speech wasn't sending up as sweetsmelling savour to the Lord! And not only that, my ungrateful words of complaint were not a sweet savor of Christ to the world around me, either. 2 Corinthians 2:15 says:
"For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish"
There's more to that thought in the verses that follow, but notice that we are a sweet savour both to the saved and to the lost. And lest we think that this is somehow unconnected to our speech, we have verse 17 which continues the line of reasoning:
"For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ."
Not only is our speech supposed to be from a heart of thankfulness to God, it is supposed to be sincere and true --our speech is to be consistent with the truths of God's Word. That is another way my speech failed the test of Scripture this week. By complaining and griping, I was essentially declaring that God is not good.
If I believe that God is good, I will have no reason to complain about anything, because I can take any circumstance, any little irritation or annoyance, and apply to it the truth that God has allowed it for a good purpose to make me more like Him.
Charles Spurgeon is noted as having said, "I have learned to kiss the wave that slams me into the Rock of Ages". --That sounds like a man who has fully embraced the truth of Romans 8:28. His words give off the "sweetsmelling savour" of a grateful and faithful heart.
As we spend time more time than usual at home with family, it can be easy to grow too comfortable and begin to voice complaints or speak negatively to and about others. One way we are to show the love of Christ to those around us is to speak in a way that fills our homes with a sweet savor of Christ.
So, how does your speech smell to God and to those around you today? Are you a rose or a skunk cabbage?
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