Ahhh, The Smell of Starbucks!

I am a lover of good coffee. I’ll drink almost any coffee, as long as it doesn’t come out of a vending machine. There is just something gross about getting my coffee out of the same spout that hot chocolate, mocha, cappuccino and tea come from. It can pollute the otherwise wonderful taste of a good cup of coffee.

Last month, I celebrated 31 years of life on this planet. My parents had us over to have a birthday dinner complete with a Dairy Queen ice cream cake (my favorite cake!), and some apple crisp, by special request of my daughter, Machaela (she just loves Grandma’s apple crisp). After the dessert, I got to open my presents. Oh, how I love my birthday! One of the gifts I got from mom and Don was a 40 ounce bag of Starbucks House Blend whole bean coffee, and a very nice coffee grinder. Knowing my love of coffee, they knew just what to get me. That evening, once we got back home, I immediately set up the grinder, and reached for the big bag of heaven we call Starbucks. I remember opening the bag up, and being greeted by a wonderful rush of aroma! There is just something about opening that bag up the first time that is great. All that vacuumed-sealed smell comes rushing out and the smell envelopes the whole kitchen.

You know, it’s kind of an analogy of the Christian life. As I sat here this morning drinking a coffee, I recalled that day, and the fresh aroma of those whole beans. It reminded me of a passage in the Bible, told actually in 3 of the Gospels, Matthew, Mark and John. It was just days before Jesus would be whipped beyond recognition and nailed to a cross. While sitting in a house with his disciples, and his friend Lazarus, who he had just raised from the dead, and Lazarus’ sisters, Martha and Mary, something odd happened. Let’s read it:

“While he was in Bethany, reclining at the table in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, made of pure nard. She broke the jar and poured the perfume on his head.” Mark 14:3 NIV

The Gospel of John tells us that it was Mary who brought this alabaster box and poured it on Jesus. I won’t get into all the discussion that goes on about this passage. I want to focus on one thing only-the box. You see, she had to break it to get the scent of the perfume out. I believe that God wants us to be like that box. He wants us to be broken, not in the sense that we must need to be fixed, but opened up for the aroma of his life in us to flow out to those around.

You see, life has a way of dishing out hard times and struggles. It can deal out painful blows like the loss of an innocent child, or cancer. Yet, the promise of God is that he will somehow work all things out for good to those who love him. You can come through your storm stronger than when you entered it. And when you come out stronger, with a stronger faith, it is like an aroma that others around you can smell. God has used the struggles of this life to “break” you, and his work in your heart is evident. Trials can either make you better or bitter. Let God use them, and you will be better!

You know, for those beans to be of use to us, they had to face the heat. They had to be roasted. So, friends, submit yourselves to the heat that you face, and let God break you. He will use that beautiful scent of Christ in your life to touch those around you. God bless!