Noseying Heavenwards II

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For we are to God a sweet savour of Christ, in those being saved, and in those being lost; ¹⁶  to the one we are the savour of death to death, and to the other we are the savour of life to life. And who is sufficient for these things? 

2Corinthians 2:15-16

Last time we discussed how God communicates through our noses (Check https://elihasthots.net/2022/05/27/noseying-heavenwards-i/) . We realized that God says something significant to us every time we breathe in. Today, we examine a few fun facts about our noses and draw out vital lessons.

Fun Facts:

Smell

A bloodhound has 4 billion olfactories (smell) receptor cells; rabbits have 100 million, while we have just 12 million in our noses[1]! God gave more to those who needed more.

Snoring

Research has established that more men than women can snore depending on certain factors[2]. Exercise may also reduce the sound intensity[3]. Check YouTube (e.g. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aSdc1pKnqDY ).

Smell and Memory

Of all our five senses, only the sense of smell is directly linked to the part of our brain where we process emotions and memories[4]. So a baby can attach the scent of their mother’s breast to the pleasure of breast milk. The baby memorizes that scent and connects the fond memories staying in their brain. Or the smell of burning brakes comes to you as you drive, and you immediately remember the cost of replacing them.We sometimes think of some people when we perceive a particular perfume or bodily scent[5]. How did your Father smell when he returned from work, and you hugged him? Have you ever had someone cover your eyes from behind, and their cologne betrayed them? The smell and memories of someone you love will manage to stay with you for life[6]. Our text above indicates that Christians are a sweet aroma of Christ to His Father, God. We are also a sweet aroma of Christ to other Christians. We are still a sweet savour of Christ but unto death to those who are perishing because they love sin and unrighteousness. We can smell good to make people love Jesus!

Will you do me a favour… In the comments section, kindly tell us your favourite smells at Christmas or Ramadan and the memories they bring to you.

When God sees us, He is reminded of His beloved Son, our Saviour, Jesus Christ. God looks joyfully at everyone who has accepted Jesus as their Lord and personal Saviour. They bring Him fond memories of the Son in whom He is well pleased. In fact, Zephaniah 3:17 intones that God rejoices over His heritage with singing. God the Father loves to love you! So how can I make God bring up fond memories whenever He thinks about me? Obedience. God is pleased with those who obey His commandments through the enabling of the Holy Spirit. That is something for us to consider.

• 1Samuel 15:22 To obey is better than sacrifice
• Proverbs 21:3 Righteousness and justice are more acceptable
• Psalm 51:16 For you will not delight in sacrifice
• John 14:15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
• 1John 3:22 We keep his commandments & do what pleases him
• 1John 5:3 This God’s love, that we keep his commandments

Nose and Mucus

High up our noses are the nerves of smell. We must pull the air right up to the roof to decipher what we perceive[7]. When drawing up air into our noses, we can draw in smoke and dust particles, pollutants, allergens, bacteria, viruses, tiny insects, etc. The nose tries to circle bad stuff with mucus, and they end up in the stomach. But a virus in your nose will try to get quick access to your lungs[8]. Once in your lungs, the offender behaves pretty sneakily. Within a short time, the disease can weaken your body. Apart from this, your nose can get clogged and congested, which can be very discomforting. Then the nose can no longer smell so well again until the offender is removed[9].

Our spiritual noses act virtually the same way. They smell the moral challenges of people around us. However, when we spend our time smelling everything about everybody around us, we take in a lot of spiritual viruses. Renowned preacher the late Pastor C D Brooks, once remarked that some people like to talk about those they consider hypocrites instead of focusing on Christ. He said, “I don’t enjoy hypocrites that much.” White also wrote,

Slipshod religion is a dangerous thing, in the home or in the church, and to educate the mind to look for defects in others unfits the soul for communion with God. This is the leaven of evil. The very act of looking for sin in others develops defects in those who look (emphasis mine). These would be alarmed could they see the facts that are registered against them in the books of heaven. The man with the beam in his own eye thinks he has discovered a mote in his brother’s eye. …Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye, and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.”[10]

Ellen G White

Many years ago, I overheard someone chanting (perhaps, playfully), “My talent is to drive Christians out of the church!” She seemed proud that her critical spirit was making Christians leave the church. When your spiritual nose is only used to smell out hypocrites, you try to do God’s work for Him. Our work is to bring people to the Saviour, not drive them out.  Ask the Holy Spirit to help you to smell nice to draw others to the Saviour.

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[1] (Chudler, 2014) https://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/facts.html

[2] (Maimon & Hanly, 2010) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2952752/;

[3] (Suni, 2022) https://www.sleepfoundation.org/snoring/mouth-exercises-to-stop-snoring

[4] (Mouly & Sullivan, 2010) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK55967/

[5] (Cleveland Clinic, 2020) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/7-surprising-facts-nose/

[6] (Houser, 2013) https://churchleaders.com/children/childrens-ministry-how-tos/171255-the-nose-remembers-use-smell-to-engage-kids.html

[7] (Cleveland Clinic, 2020) https://health.clevelandclinic.org/7-surprising-facts-nose/

[8] (Hallingstad, 2018) https://www.stepstolife.org/article/keys-to-the-storehouse-our-spiritual-nose/

[9] (Cleveland Clinic, 2020)  https://health.clevelandclinic.org/7-surprising-facts-nose/

[10] (White, 1899) https://m.egwwritings.org/en/book/469.3619#3619