On our last day in Israel we stopped at Gat Shemanim or Gethsemane – the place of the olive press – where Jesus spent His final night before the cross. One in our group was tossed and then asked to eat an olive straight from a tree (we later discovered this was a no-no). He didn’t need any words to describe how it tasted. His face said it all, “Bitter!”
What makes olives bitter is “oleuropein,” which must be drawn out either through soaking them in water or lye, which is the quicker process of the two. After this process is completed, the olives are seasoned with special ingredients to get the taste the producer desires.
Jesus has come to shake your tree just as an olive tree is shaken to remove its olives. He first has to get your attention – bitterness only hurts you. Once He’s done that He’ll remove the bitterness from your life, a major reason we take our drugs of choice. He does this by asking you to trust Him enough to forgive those who’ve hurt you. After that is done, He’ll add His special seasonings, Himself, to your life to make you tasty to those around you.
Bitterness drives people away, forgiveness and Jesus draws them closer – another special ingredient to a satisfying life. Holding onto your bitterness is easy to do, but certainly is not the way to live a better life. Freedom comes through doing the hard thing – trusting Jesus to listen to and then do what He says.
Set Free N“O”ww“W”