unconditional love

yday our dept had a Reading Circle where we discussed the book 'The Giving Tree', where it talks about this boy and this tree. and how this boy would keep going to the tree asking for things, and the tree would give unconditionally, as her only wish is that the boy be happy.

"Do you think there's unconditional love?" I was asked.

the answer I had was "yes", but I know only of 1 Person who is able to give that sort of love.

I dunnoe, is it because of the fallen nature of man, or is it because I'm such a cynical freak that I think that even love comes with intentions. altruistic or not.

I once learnt in uni of how people don't JUST do good deeds, they do good deeds because they want to feel positive about themselves. That really shook my whole belief system, and somehow it did make sense. Doing good to gain something, though not something tangible like money, but something intangible like self-worth, positive image, sense of happiness, i dunnoe.

You can't imagine the number of times I felt so frustrated in my ministry with the youths, simply because I felt unappreciated, or when I see the way some of them behaved despite time spent with them, I wondered about my love for them. Do i love them or do i see them the way Christ do. Flaws and all, with love unconditional. Honestly, I can't. Can i give of myself without seeking returns of what I do?

But i suppose we're all learning. loving itself is a tough thing. loving unconditionally, loving with righteousness even tougher.