"Do not pour it on men's bodies and do not make any oil with the same formula. It is sacred." Exodus 30:32
Last night I remembered one of the downsides of West Texas in the spring. The moment I stepped outside, it hit me, that pungent odor that reminds me of the importance of cattle to our local economy. Although it is over ten miles away, the area feed lot was making its presence known. Maybe it's the amount of rain we've had this year, or maybe the wind was just right, but my eyes literally began to water.
The first words that came to mind were the words of a friend who frequently joked with me: "Hey! It smells like money!" He has since moved across the country and we've lost touch, but every time I smell that unique odor (not always as powerfully as last night I might add), I think of him.
What is it about smells? The sense of smell is the strongest stimulator for recalling memories. Somehow, it takes us back to places we have long since forgotten.
God knows that. When He set forth the ingredients for the anointing oil to be used by the priests, He was very clear. "Do not make any oil with the same formula." He wanted the priests to be unique - to be set apart from the world. Whenever the priests were nearby, those around them would know it. They were unique; they even smelled special.
Lord, help me to be set apart. May the fragrance of my actions and intentions remind others that I have been anointed by the atoning blood of Your Son. Let others smell Your fragrance when I pass by, and when some ask, "What's that smell?", give me the words to share the love of Christ with them.