Are You a Skunk? (Hosea)

The prophet Hosea is known for marrying a prostitute who breaks his heart—a story that reflects how our unfaithfulness grieves God and destroys families. As the tale unfolds, we’re given a multitude of insights into how we, as believers, are to respond in unfair and pressure situations. 

In Hosea 14:6, Hosea describes a believer as a person who carries a “fragrance like a cedar of Lebanon.” Cedar is a type of tree that when cut has a warm, spicy aroma that is comforting. Pleasant. If Christ is living in us then His love, compassion, and wisdom should be permeating our speech and actions, giving off a sweet aroma. We should be bringing something sweet and lifegiving to every person we encounter, whether in a coffee shop the family table, or a conference table. In contrast, when we do not allow Christ to live through us, we become skunks. We emit clouds of negativity and criticalness that snuff out not only our joy, but also the joy of anyone near us. 

Do you know how to tell if you’re a cedar or a skunk? Take note of how people react within you enter a room. Are they glad to see you? Does your presence lower the tension level in the room or raise it? In critical moments, can you be counted on to calm things down or blow them up? In joyful times do you celebrate or withdraw? Do you accept the good with the bad or let your perfectionism settle like a dark sour cloud over those you’re meant to love until the stench forces them to leave?

Of course, our God-given personalities affect how we interact with others. Not everyone is a cheerleader with tons of energy that motivates people to action. Thank heavens. Contemplatives like me need quiet and space to function well. But fragrance isn’t about energy level. It’s an unseen but definable quality of peace and welcoming that a person exudes no matter their personality type or what situation they’re in.

Being a skunk is a choice. It’s a choice to let whatever our natural inclinations are to control us. (We can be a grumpy extravert or grumpy introvert.) But being a cedar is also a choice. It’s not a choice to “do better” or to “try harder” but to surrender all that we are and have to Jesus and let Him shine through us. It’s a process. A transformation really. 

Galatians 3:22–26 says, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.”  

In other words, “Don’t be skunk, be a cedar!”