I John 4:19 in the Christian New Testament says, “We, though, are going to love—love and be loved. First we were loved, now we love. He loved us first.” (The Message)
The note on this verse from the Zondervan NIV Study Bible: “All love comes ultimately from God; genuine love is never self-generated by His creatures.”
So you can’t really “scare up” love. It is true that we humans tend to feel kindly toward those whom we treat kindly and vicious towards those whom we treat viciously. But where does the impulse to do the kind deeds come from? (The source of the impulse towards viciousness is all too clear.) Why do you want to love that person in the first place?
I was reminded as I was writing this post of the beautiful old hymn “The Sands of Time Are Sinking.” Here’s the second verse, which helps answer the above question:
O Christ, He is the fountain, the deep, sweet well of love!
The streams of earth I’ve tasted more deep I’ll drink above:
There to an ocean fullness His mercy doth expand,
And glory, glory dwelleth in Immanuel’s land.