Have you ever been walking through a store, standing in line, sitting in a waiting room, or stuck in the middle seat of coach flying across the country (or overseas – bless it!) and realized that you really can’t hold your breath indefinitely? When I lived in Germany, I made several trips back home to go ‘ol Atlanta, Georgia, to get much needed hugs from my Grandma. On each flight there was always that one person (or one group of people) that floated on an odorous cloud – and seemed oblivious that they were sharing it with all who were within eyesight (or nose sniff?). Aside from the booming perfume and personal hygiene industries out there, what is it that attracts us like bees to honey or repels us like an open septic tank on a hot day?
The kiddo that made me a mom, Sara (class of 2020), loves to look at memes and read up on little-known facts. She came across one about human scent that made… sense (by the way, I’m laughing at my own cleverness). I’ve done some digging into the topic and science backs it up: chemical make-up for each person is different (duh!) and we’re attracted to the opposite chemical make-up for survival reasons (oh really?).
According to a study done in 1995 by Claus Wedekind, a Swiss biological researcher, human attraction is rooted in scent. There is a segment of our DNA called the major histocompatibility complex (MHC – I’m breaking this down to syllables and still stumbling!). Our MHC functions as the immune system’s eyes – like a blind person, it’s how we were designed to distinguish between a person with a complementing immune system and someone who possesses a similar immunity-makeup. We were designed to be attracted to the opposite immune system so that our offspring would have a wider range of disease resistance.
In the study, male test subjects (100 college students) were instructed to wear a t-shirt while sleeping for two nights (with a lot of control factors put in place regarding no deodorant, no intercourse, no smoking, no drinking, and no spicy foods – along with several other things). After the two nights, 100 college-age women put their sniffers to the test. They were instructed to rate each man’s shirt by “pleasantness,” “sexiness,” and “intensity of smell.”
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The women, it turned out, gave better rating for “pleasantness” and “sexiness” to the men’s odor when the MHC greatly differed from their own. One man’s “scent” might be offensive to me, but smell attractive to another woman. This particular research topic raises concerns to how pharmaceuticals impact what scent we’re putting out there (who are we attracting and how is it impacting the different generations being produced), and has led the perfume industry scrambling to concoct what they call “love in a bottle” (doesn’t exist – Love Potion #9?).
We’ve become so dependent on everything having an appealing aroma (soaps, lotions, deodorant, and perfumes – even chap stick!) that when anyone goes “commando” in the man-made scent category, we hold our breath, turn away, and run for fresh air. I’m pretty sure we’ve all had a day that we’ve forgotten to put on deodorant. You pray that no one notices, you’re stressed that you’ll start smelling, and the stress makes you sweat more – oh bless it, NO!
Then there are people who don’t shower everyday – maybe once a week (really, they exist, and not just in foreign countries – some live in my house!). Here are four ways in which people react to smelling bad: the type who keep their arms down at their sides (are you Sure?) and try not to make eye contact, the type who swipe on a bit of deodorant to try and mask the smell (it doesn’t work, by the way), others rush off to take a shower (good choice) and make it a point to apply deodorant after, or the last group who are completely oblivious.
My husband, Ken, when he was a youth pastor, had a pretty smell (I mean small) group. They would usually have the lesson (sitting in a circle) and then break into games. On one of the rare occasions that I stayed for the entire thing, I noticed something about my husband and how he carried himself when he was particularly “odorific.”
He would sit there, talking with the group, and I’m not sure he had showered for a couple days. If he had, he had been extremely active since the cleansing and the cleansing was no longer valid. But he sat there and was clearly the fourth type that I listed: O-B-L-I-V-I-O-U-S. He sat there with his hands linked at the back of his head, effectively exposing his armpits! It was as though he was “airing” out the stink! A swipe on his pits at that point would have been like putting out a bonfire with a dollar store water gun – it just doesn’t work.
All of this got me thinking even deeper (I’m sorry – it’s either a gift or a curse), and I was actually laughing out loud at some of the things rolling through my mind while writing. There are four types of people, just like I listed above, who are the same way when it comes to the stink of their lives. Just a side note: Isn’t it interesting that the people we most enjoy being around have a good “smell” about them? No one really enjoys being around people who are mean or treat people poorly – no we’re attracted to kindness, goodness, and love (like twirling in a field of flowers!). Back on topic…
The first type: they continue with what they are doing, but are ashamed. They walk around with their head down and will refuse to make eye contact – they don’t want to see condemnation. The second type: they try to cover up the bad with some good; balance the scales – but you can never truly mask the stench (a little bit of poop in a pan of brownies is the same as a lot of poop in a pan of brownies). The third type: the folks who are completely oblivious to their stench. They walk around without caring because they either don’t know the difference, they don’t have a clue, or they really don’t care how offensive their lives smell. Finally, the fourth type: the people who recognize they stink and want a lasting solution. They take a shower (cleansed by God’s free gift of forgiveness – once and for all) and then they put on deodorant (the full armor of God – Ephesians 6:10-18). Putting on the full armor of God starts with getting to know the God who saved us from the stink to begin with – then Satan won’t be able to deceive you into thinking that you still stink.
While thinking about writing this, there were so many chuckles produced. Imagine shopping for some deodorant – there are so many choices – and you have to not only choose which brand you’re going to get, but you also have to then choose the scent (there are some that boast of coverage for 48 hours!). Can you picture getting a brand called Full Armor (I call it! It’s mine for my future deo line)? And now to pick out the fragrance: Blessed & Highly Favored, Above & Not Beneath, The Head & Not the Tail – Oh my goodness, I cracked myself up again! “The Head & Not the Tail” as a fragrance? Maybe a little Garden of Eden, Beyond the Veil, Rose of Sharon or Lily of the Valley would prove to be succulent scents.
There are so many scents in which God “smells” us (cherished, precious, loved, beloved, His joy, His bride, saved, forgiven, ransomed… I’ll stop because I want you to keep reading). Unlike our earthly showers and baths, when we are cleansed with God’s forgiveness, we only need to do this once. I’m not saying that we’ll never mess up after that “shower”, but God’s grace and mercy so effectively cleanses us from the stink that, from that point on, God “smells” Christ’s righteousness! What Christ did for us on the cross provided a cleanness that will never go away (I John 1:7 – the Greek tense indicates that we’re continually being cleansed; like standing under a waterfall of grace). The Full Armor “deodorant” is what we “apply” after our initial decision to accept His forgiveness.
The Full Armor includes getting to know God… getting to know the scent of Him. I care very much about my physical stink. I religiously swipe my deodorant and spritz my perfume or body spray, but I want my spirit to be a “sweet aroma” to God and those around me (2 Corinthians 2:15). I want to “Be Sure” and able to lift my arms to my Abba, my Savior… my Groom. I challenge you to not only care about your physical “stink” (we’ll all thank you if we’re in close contact), but look at your spiritual aroma as well. It’s much more important (the guy on the plane next to you might disagree, but you get the picture).