The Mount of Olives

John 8:1-7

Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. At dawn he appeared again in the temple courts, where all the people gathered around him, and he sat down to teach them. The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” They were using this question as a trap, in order to have a basis for accusing him. But Jesus bent down and started to write on the ground with his finger. When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

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The Mount of Olives was where Jesus led his disciples, blessed them, and ascended to heaven. The word “mount” literally means to climb up. I see The Mount as a place where Jesus ascended in two different means. He rose to heaven, and he rose above the judgments of man.

{Judgment: an ability to make a “considered” decision based on our formed conclusions.}

I analyze the “why“ in everything.

Why did the people judge? Did they feel their self-worth and value to God was based on what others thought of them, so they used this woman to appear more worthy? Was judgment their comfortable companion to help justify their own actions in comparison to this woman’s actions before God? Did this public judgment help them feel less rejected by others in their own personal lives? Would they have gone before God individually and did this, or did they use the crowd as leverage for motivation?

Luke 6:37-38 says do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Luke 10:10-11 also says when you enter a town and are not received, go out in the street and say, “The only thing we got from you is the dirt on our feet, and we’re giving it back.”

God did not say to act on that rejection/judgment, other than to “give it back,” meaning, get over it. Just leave it where ya found it.

I have been and will be rejected/judged. But I know that no man’s judgment sends me to heaven or hell. I also know that I, or no one else, will benefit in the eyes of God from taking part in judgment. Therefore, when rejection/judgment comes from others to me, I will always move forward from there and simply get over it. I'll leave it where I found it. I will meet the judgment with grace and compassion, knowing there are always underlying “why’s” to everything. AND, when rejection/judgment comes from me to others (every human is imperfect), I will remember what God told the people at the Mount of Olives. I will consciously consider to meet everyone with the love and kindness of God, because His love is better than life.

I want to always be at the Mount of Olives with God. I will choose to spend my time being productive for Him and celebrate His graciousness at a higher place. I want to ascend with goodness and mercy toward others, because when I climb to that mount, that is where I will be blessed.