Theme for the week: Lessons from Roses
February 16, 2022 (Wednesday)
This is the third blog in the series, “Lessons from Roses.” The first blog on Monday introduced roses to the subject, “People are like flowers.” The second made the point that roses are beautiful. That brings us to the third blog today. They have a wonderful fragrance.
Roses are aromatic. They smell great! Of course, we appreciate people who are careful in matters of hygiene, but we are still talking now abut the inner beauty of a person. Certain people bring such a delightful presence to the moment that when they depart, we can still feel their lingering presence, as when a perfumed person leaves the room. Some folks are so beautiful within that they never fail to make a good impression and inspire us to be better people ourselves.
Perfumes and Colognes can provide an elegant touch to a well-dressed person, but too much is too much. If others are overwhelmed by the fragrance, it ceases to please the senses. Some people in their daily lives seem to be “too much.” They come across very strong, hardly giving others a voice in the conversation and always exalting themselves. The psychological diagnosis for such people is low self esteem. One is over-compensating for feelings of inferiority, but coming across as overly confident.
Our lives should be like the Three Bears’ soup: “Just right.” We want to be good witnesses for Christ, so we should be very much aware of what we are doing and saying, and how we are going about it. Let us strive to bless others with just the right amount of the fragrance imparted to us by Christ. Jesus said, “Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in Heaven.”
Our words of witness are important; so is the influence of our daily life, when, like the rose, we bless others with the genuine fragrance of a life dedicated to Jesus Christ.
The Gaithers wrote a song entitled, “There’s Something About That Name,” and has a line in it that says hearing the name of Jesus is like experiencing the fragrance after the rain. That experience is difficult to describe, but the fragrance certainly is one of a kind and is exhilarating. Makes you feel good all over.
Luther Bridgers wrote the following song in the midst of unspeakable tragedy, but it has emerged in churches everywhere as a joyful expression of praise for the presence of Christ in our lives.
Words & Music Luther B. Bridgers
1910
There’s within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
“Fear not, I am with thee, peace, be still,”
In all of life’s ebb and flow.
Refrain:
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest Name I know,
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.
All my life was wrecked by sin and strife,
Discord filled my heart with pain,
Jesus swept across the broken strings,
Stirred the slumb’ring chords again.
Refrain:
Feasting on the riches of His grace,
Resting ’neath His shelt’ring wing,
Always looking on His smiling face,
That is why I shout and sing.
Refrain:
Though sometimes He leads through waters deep,
Trials fall across the way,
Though sometimes the path seems rough and steep,
See His footprints all the way.
Refrain:
Soon He’s coming back to welcome me,
Far beyond the starry sky;
I shall wing my flight to worlds unknown,
I shall reign with Him on high.
Refrain: