Heaven’s Scent

As I walked past the home of a family whose children recently started to attend our midweek children’s program, the door burst open and a child hurried down the steps. She ran down the sidewalk and flung her arms around me.

We chatted for a few minutes about her, about school, about my dog. All the time, she had a wide smile on her face.

I was amazed.  I’ve had children whom I’ve taught in Sunday School eagerly greet me before.  There was one toddler who screamed to an entire grocery store, “That’s my teacher! Hi teacher!” However, I don’t do anything at our children’s program.  I float and fill in wherever I am needed.  I often just greet the children. I’m there to be a support and to show personal interest in them. I can’t remember that I had said any more than “hi” to my new friend.

It didn’t matter.  To her, I represented the church, a place where she had found love and acceptance, a friendly place, a place where she was meeting a Friend who could be her friend for a lifetime.

2 Corinthians 2:14 says that through us, God spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Jesus everywhere.  Perhaps she caught a whiff of the fragrance of Jesus when she came to our children’s program? Perhaps, as I passed by her house, she caught that wonderful scent once again and craved more?

I surely hope so!