"That Smells Stinkowith"*

I live in Oklahoma. I root for Oklahoma teams. I knew we were in trouble when we came away with zero points after two trips to the redzone. Plus, Tim Tebow is a darn good football player. And a believer. A passionate believer. However, that doesn't make all the hype about him before, during, and after the game any more tolerable for OU fans.

I didn't pay too much attention to it all. At least, I tried not to. But when all the announcers talked about was "Tebow this" or "Tebow that", then it became difficult to ignore. That particular sentiment was echoed by many Sooner fans in the days that followed the BCS Championship game. I heard plenty of, "Yeah, but did they have to keep talking about Tim Tebow?" Well, apparently they did.

The guy is good. He loves Jesus, and he's not afraid to tell you about it. If anybody deserves all the fuss about him, it's Tim Tebow. I like the guy. I don't know him personally, but I'd like to. Goodness oozes from him. Some would argue that greatness oozes from him. Victory seems to follow the guy around. For Florida and Tebow fans, you can't talk enough about him. For Oklahoma and Sam Bradford fans, you can't shut up fast enough. All the praise and hype for Tebow is sweet music for the Florida faithful and fingernails on a chalkboard for Sooner Nation.

Then, as I was pondering all of this, I was reminded about a particular passage of scripture. It comes from 2 Corinthians 2:14-16a, from the NIV:

14But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. 15For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. 16To the one we are the smell of death; to the other, the fragrance of life.

In a Roman victory procession, the Roman general would display the spoils of war, including any captives, amidst a cloud of incense burned for the gods. To the Romans, the victors, the smell was sweet, but to the captives, it was the stench of slavery and death. To the one, the smell was sweet victory, and to the other, it was bitter defeat.

As a believer, the message about Christ and his love and forgiveness smells sweet to me. But, I know for some, it stinks; they don't want to hear it. Even though it is a good message, a message of hope and mercy, there are some who don't want any of it. They would just as soon you shut up about it as to keep on and on about how good Jesus is.

Any of this making sense? Are you connecting the dots yet? I'm not saying that Tim Tebow is Jesus, nor am I calling Sooner fans unbelievers. But the illustration can be drawn. Losing to the Gators, and all the hooplah about Tebow, have put a practical case in point for me concerning this passage of scripture. Even though the Sooners lost, I sure am glad to be on the victorious side of Christ and smell that sweet aroma of his glory. Be encouraged.

Soli Deo Gloria

*(You might check the spelling on that word, but Star Wars fans will recognize that one from the mouth of Jar Jar Binks in Episode I)