Is It Easy to Love People Who Don’t Love You?

I remember trying to laugh in a way that would please the Lord one morning, when a colleague at work missed the staff bus and started ranting about how there’s favoritism and how no one liked her.

Before I went to bed that night, while I was reflecting on my day and talking to God, that moment came back to my mind.

And this time, God took it slow with me.

I started explaining to Him, or maybe defending myself, that this lady was a low-key bully. She never gave anyone the chance to like her, because she doesn’t like anybody, honestly. She’d always try to intimidate people she thought she could. So, in my head, she kind of deserved the way I responded.

But you know how God is… He doesn’t argue. He just brings your thoughts to a quiet place and helps you see what He sees.

Then I heard that gentle nudge in my heart “Again, kindness.”

If you only want to be kind to people who are also kind to you, you’ll never truly learn long-suffering.

That hit differently.

Because honestly, it’s easy to be nice to those who treat you well. It’s easy to forgive someone who apologizes. It’s easy to show love to those who show it back.

But what about those who don’t like you for no reason?
What about those who gossip about you, misunderstand you, or try to make you look bad?

That’s where the test of love really begins.

And I remembered this verse in Luke 6:32–33 (NIV): “If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who are good to you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners do that.”

It’s not easy.
In fact, sometimes it feels unfair.

But when I think about how Jesus loved us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8), I realize that real love doesn’t wait for perfection. It acts out of obedience and grace.

So, I’m learning, slowly but surely, that loving people who don’t love you isn’t about pretending or denying how you feel. It’s about letting God teach you how to love beyond feelings.

Because at the end of the day, the real question remains:

What would Jesus do?

Have you ever been in a situation where you were led to love or show kindness to people who didn’t like you?
Share it in the comments.