“And so the boy cut off her branches and carried them away to build his house.

And the tree was happy.”

 

I recently read Shel Silverstein’s “The Giving Tree” to my students. 

 

If you haven’t read it, it’s a wonderfully sad story about a little boy and a tree.

This tree loves the boy,

and the boy loves the tree.

 

He swings from her branches, eats her apples, and sleeps in her shade.

It’s a beautiful friendship.

 

But as the boy grows older, he goes off to live his life,

leaving the tree sad and alone.

 

The boy comes back every now and again and tells the tree his worries and desires.

With each visit, the tree offers some of herself to the boy.

Her apples, so he can sell them and make money.

Her branches, to build a house.

Her trunk, to build a boat and sail away.

And finally, her stump for him to sit on and rest.

 

The tree gives everything she has to the boy.

Because she loves him.

And the tree was happy.

What a sad, yet beautiful story.

And what contrast it is to the mindset of today’s culture.

 

“Don’t cross oceans for people who wouldn’t step over a puddle for you.”

“Choose your happiness over everything.”

“That’s the problem with putting other people first. You’ve taught them you come second.”

 

With the “put yourself first” mentality being poured into us,

how do we know the right way to love others?

 

Does love mean sacrificing ourselves for others like the giving tree? 

Or do we only love those who will give something back like culture preaches?

 

I don’t know.

All I know is what God’s word tells us about love.

It is powerful.

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

-John 3:16

 

“But love your enemies, do good to them,

and lend to them without expecting to get anything back.” 

-Luke 6:35

 

“Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.”

-John 15:13

 

“Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.”

-Romans 12:10

 

This kind of love that the Bible talks about isn’t dependent on anything. 

It is given without condition, expecting nothing in return.

 

Maybe it means sitting with someone as they fall apart.

Maybe it means forgiveness.

Maybe it means letting someone go.

Maybe it means giving everything.

 

However it looks, it all comes from Him.

God created love, and He is love.

 

And it is beautiful.