Fragrance and friends.

Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart, and the pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice. Proverbs 27:9.

Smells, emotions, and memories.

Whether you call it perfume, scent, aroma, incense, or fragrance, these smells are uplifting. The science behind this is when we smell something, the molecules enter the nose and are absorbed at the back of the nose, it goes to the olfactory center in the brain which decodes it. The brain remembers when it was first smelt and whether it was positive or negative. Smells, emotions, and memories are closely entwined. ( because the olfactory cortex, the hippocampus, and the amygdala are close to each other.) Odorous smells make us sick and warn us but pleasant smells make us happy.

There is so much we can recognize with the sense of smell even if we are not present physically.

Today, everyone in the house knew something was burning in the kitchen. I put the jaggery in a heated pan but it was too hot. Smoke billowed out, so I quickly added a dash of water. When you enter a house where dogs reside, their odor gives them away. My daughter wants to know why some people smell so strongly, she can hardly breathe around them. Yet people regularly smell their used clothes and socks. When there are smelly socks in the conference room, it is a killer. A perfumed mask will save the day.

Early in the morning, the fragrance of coffee is so inviting. When you are hungry, food smells heavenly, as you conjure up visions of a good meal. God help you if you are fasting because that's when you are much more sensitive to food aromas. During pregnancy, the sense of smell becomes very sharp.

Watch out for Phthalates

Phthalates are well-known as an endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) that can disrupt hormonal balance and may cause developmental, reproductive, and other serious health issues. They are widely used in cosmetics and enter the body through the skin and inhalation. It may be difficult to find natural perfumes, but it is worth the effort.

This verse tells us that good, heartfelt advice from a friend is like a lovely fragrance, uplifting the soul. NLT translates this verse: 'The heartfelt counsel of a friend is as sweet as perfume and incense.'

A good friend is someone you can trust. You know this person to be caring and helpful. When their advice is timely and godly, your soul is pleased to receive love and encouragement. You know they want the best for you.

JESUS CHRIST/YESHUA Ha MASHIACH means Salvation, the Anointed One.

Yeshua and his disciples were having a meal at the house of Simon the Leper ( who was healed) when Miriam came and broke an alabaster box and poured perfume on Yeshua. ( Matt 26: 7; Mark 14:3; Luke 7:37). It was an expensive perfume called spikenard that would have cost a year's wages. Spikenard was grown in the Himalayas of India. The box was made with a stone found in Albastron, Egypt. It was like marble but softer and could be made in boxes and jars. It is only mentioned here in the Bible. The people and the disciples with Yeshua were shocked at the extravagance and lavish display but Yeshua was pleased. The perfume would have flowed down his hair, body, and garments, filling the room with its intoxicating heady aroma. Yeshua would have smelled of it during his trials and crucifixion. The gentle perfume would have bolstered his soul at his loneliest and darkest moments. Not only that, He wanted her to be remembered for eternity by everybody. What a unique gift to bring to Yeshua the Messiah ( Messiah means the anointed one). Kings in the OT were anointed by prophets but for Yeshua, the Son of YHWH and the King of kings, a lowly woman was intended to do His anointing. John 12:7.

Miriam sat at His feet listening to His words of life and saw Him raise her brother Elazer after four days of death. Just when they had resigned themselves to the loss of their dear brother, Yeshua brought him back to life. Elazer witnessed this outpouring of love and perfume. This was an expression of her gratitude to Yeshua. Nothing was too valuable for a friend like Yeshua.

We are anointed

Today we have the anointing and infilling of the Holy Spirit. The One who is always with us, to guide and counsel us. The One who strengthens and encourages us. The anointing that intends for us to be the fragrance of Yeshua the Messiah ( the Anointed One). ( 1 John 2:20,27; 2 Corinth 1:21,22;)

We are the Fragrance...

2 Corinth 2: 14-16: 14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us triumphantly as captives in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of Him. 15 For we are to God the sweet aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16 To the one, we are an odor of death and demise; to the other, a fragrance that brings life. And who is qualified for such a task?…

PRAYER

I pray, my dear friend, that you and your friends would be the fragrance of the Messiah to each other. May this fragrance attract many others into the kingdom.

Shalom.