Stench

I've read and heard several heart-stirring stuff from Ann Voscamp today.
She is a farmer, working in a barn. And she is grateful and at the same time, found it staggering that Jesus Christ - Lord of heaven and Earth, was born in a manger, a notably ditry and stinky place.

Something she said brought me to think of Pig-Pen, a Peanuts comic character.
"There is a stench to us ... the stench of sin and God comes to meet us there. He knows how hard we try to hide this stench, and we cannot remove it by ourselves, despite out best efforts.

And interestingly, Pig-Pen is someone who cannot seem to rid himself of the dust for more than the briefest of periods--indeed, in spite of his best efforts, it appears that he cannot stay clean.

The hope of the new 'us' is there because Christ chose to meet us in a world of sin. The stench of sin ought to help us realise our utter-needfulness of Jesus. And only through him can the stench of sin be covered by  the fragrance of Christ.