The people we would do anything for?

Lately I've been seeing and feeling a lot of love towards friends. Both from other people and myself personally. I think it's truly great, I never even knew what real friends were until college and I've met some people who I personally think are incredible individuals, that I believe do in fact care about me. What I haven't been seeing, though, and I think this is the dealbreaker, is an extreme love for people outside of our circles of best friends (I am including myself in this). If this is the case, as Jesus would say, what reward is there in that? Everyone cares about the people they are close to.

There is a plethora of verses on loving our neighbors (i.e. everyone), it's even considered the golden rule! Jesus, when asked what the greatest commandment was, said that the first was loving the Lord God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength, and the second is to love your neighbor as yourself.

Galatians 5:14 claims "...the whole law is fulfilled in one word, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'"

1 John 4:20 even goes so far as to claim that we can't really love God unless we love our fellow neighbors. "If any one says 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God who he has not seen."

I think this is being seriously overlooked by all of us as Christians. Essentially Jesus is telling us that the greatest way to love God is not by worshipping continously, praying constantly, fasting, sacrificing, going to church, tithing, or anything of the sort. It's by loving other people in this world the way that He loves them. Yeah, I think I fail pretty epicly at loving God properly if that is the true barometer.

I could most definitely be mistaken and blowing this up to be more than it is, but I don't believe I am. Time and time again I see, and commit, proclamations about doing anything for our friends, or loving them more than anyone in the world, or raising them up and praising them because they care a lot about us. Would we give anything for people that we aren't friends with? That have wronged us? Would you give up your life for someone who spent theirs belittling you and causing you pain? I definitely wouldn't, but it's something I am trying to work on.

When I was a senior in high school I had my PSP stolen by one of the kids that I judged as no-good. Always getting into trouble, always getting bad grades, never doing any work, that sort of thing. I found out he took it and reported him and he got in trouble for it and he also hated me for it (he and his friends already didn't like me, their favorite nicknames for me were 'Bible thumper' and 'Fag Jesus'). One day at the bus stop I was getting into my car and saw him and his friends start walking towards home like they did every day. I don't know what it was about that day, but my heart felt heavy so I drove up to them and asked if they wanted a ride. I'm not sure if it was out of proper love or not, but it was hard to do and it helped me realize how terribly I really treat the people that I don't care much for, and how in treating them that way I am continuing a cycle of them treating me similarly. I know that's a pretty minor example of how dramatically we can love people who have wronged us in much worse ways, but it was very significant to me.

Are you only loving your friends? How about your neighbors? Your enemies? Everyone?