Marriage offers a new set of smells—some good, some not so good. I've never been more sensitive of how I smell, where I breathe, and when I last shaved. My wife loves me so much that she gladly tells me when my breath is bad. She is perfectly willing to report when I smell like "outside" or need to take a shower. And to be honest, it can be a bit disheartening at times. After all, I've always been the clean guy. I used to wipe my face with Germ-X hand sanitizer before bed each night. I was that clean. Very clean. So naturally, learning that my nose breath smells peculiar is completely unsettling to me.

As hard as it is to deal with olfactory issues, it can be outright painful to receive criticism regarding spiritual weaknesses. Nothing in our human nature wants to hear about our lack of discipline or how pitiful our prayer life is. We like who we think we are. But when a close friend shows us our reflection in the mirror of truth, we cower at the sight of our frail and sinful humanity. Frankly, it's embarrassing. It's sort of like buying Preparation H, dandruff shampoo, Gas-X, and a nose hair trimmer in one trip to the grocery store.

As embarrassing as it is to be called out by a friend, it is usually just what I need to grow closer to Jesus. That and some cologne.

Better is open rebuke than hidden love. - Proverbs 27:5