Loving - Neighbors, Enemies, Family, and Those Other People

We aren't born knowing how to love others. We are born selfish and sinful in nature and a natural bent is difficult to alter. We seek what pleases us most from infancy upward. It's called "me-ism."
It is said that people who are loved easily love others.  I have not found that to always be true.
Many who are loved, just want more love without giving any in return.  And there are others who have never been loved, but are able to give it with such amazing generosity.  So, what is the key?  I really don't know. The bible tells us there is nothing good in man. (see Romans 3)  Some are just able to accept others at face value and see the best in them. Often it is the Christians that reject first, inspect second, and then decide if someone is worthy of their time.  Man is incapable of good without Christ because his attempts are marred by sin.  Christians are just marred people on their way to heaven; forgiven, but not left to themselves.  They are being tried by fire in order to refine them into the image of Christ and somewhere along they way, they experience what it is to be loved so that they might have the ability to love others unconditionally.  Some of us are not very good at it...yet.
What I've learned is: Love wins - not necessarily for the one on the receiving end, but for the one on the giving end. Those who choose to love win.  They have peace and forgive easily. They are unselfish. They love because they want to love. Lovers win.
When I was in early adulthood, I began to feel the tug of the world more and more.  There was a strong attraction to all the things so common to man: the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life. I could not understand why the struggle was there in the first place, if I was a believer. Why wasn't it easier to whole heartedly follow Christ?  I wanted to be free from all temptations.

Believers are free.  They are free to not sin.  They are free to freely love others, but it doesn't happen overnight. God does not mature us all at once. He intends to grow us up and will use all manner of circumstances to weed out the...well, weeds in our lives.
By the way, weeds are not people. You cannot wish anyone out of your life.  It's dangerous to limit your world to those that either meet with your approval or have some positive purpose for your pleasure. Often the one you want banished from your kingdom is the very one God wants to use in shaping you for His use in the future. People are part of those circumstances He brings into our lives to create changes in us, bring us to maturity, and help us recognize that no man is an island. As annoying as people can be, they are even more a blessing.  Just remember, you were not born with a halo on your head, either.
Enemies date back to Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael.  Hatred and fear are fed by hatred and fear. They breed and breed again. The media paints a bleak picture of the world most of the time. I'm not hiding my head in anyone's sand, it's just that there is always more to focus on than man against man, country against country, politician against politician.
God's love flowing from His throne is perfect and unshakeable.  My love flowing back to God and out to others is incomplete and shallow, though He continues to teach me every day. I am not aware of my enemies, but maybe that just means I am not as outspoken about my faith as I should be. I hope when the occasion arises and animosity is vocalized, that I will respond with love.

Sometimes we must be steered down difficult paths in order to learn our lessons.  Learning to love regardless of circumstances is a tough one.  I didn't know how bad I was at it, until my world was rocked by the decisions of others.  God has used my lowest points of despair to show me His deepest joy.  I had to let go and stop trying to rule. I am not, was not, and will not be in control...of anyone ever.
God alone knows what choices I will make and what choices others will make that will hurt me personally. He doesn't remove them; He ordains them. He orchestrates just the right circumstances so that I will be unable to handle them on my own. When I run to Jesus for help, He is there to teach me...about me and no one else. Love is learned.
So I found this attachment that says perfectly what I hope to be able to say personally.  I intend to reach this goal because Christ wants me to.  He wants you to as well.  I AM going to love them, as well as the narrow-minded, the hypocrit, the Pharisee, the snob.  These are labels we stamp on others.  As Christ loved me, so I will love others.