Returning to the Eternal Religion
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they have experienced in many births the miserable disease of material life and have become disgusted. Therefore they are seeking higher knowledge—they are seeking something better—and when they find Krṣṇa and surrender unto Him, they become  mahātmās , who are actually situated in knowledge. This material world is just like a prison house; it is a punishing place meant to bring us to that point of becoming disgusted, surrendering at last to Krṣṇa, and going back to our original nature of eternal life in bliss and complete knowledge. Therefore it is to the credit of these devotees that they have done what is  sudurlabhaḥ , very rare among all men in human society.
By surrendering to Krṣṇa one will find the final object in which to invest his love: God. Love of God is present in everyone, just like fire in an unlit match, but it is covered over. But if one somehow or other develops his dormant love of God, and Krṣṇa becomes his supreme adorable object, supreme friend, supreme master, or supreme lover, than he shall never again become disappointed or unhappy. Rather, because his loving propensity is rightfully placed:
mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā  
 bodhayantaḥ parasparam  
 kathayantaś ca māṁ nityaṁ  
 tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca
The devotee whose life is surrendered to Krṣṇa is always enjoying “great satisfaction and bliss,” and he is constantly enlightened, always positive, not negative, as you say [Bg. 10.9]. The advanced devotee is the friend of everyone. The  yoga-yukto viśuddhātmā , purified soul engaged in loving devotional service to Krṣṇa, is  sarva-bhūtātma-bhūtātmā , dear to everyone, and everyone is dear to him. In another place Krṣṇa claims that  yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ , His devotee, who is very dear to Him,  adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca , is not envious but is a kind friend to all living entities. The devotee is supposed to be, furthermore, equal to everyone ( paṇḍitāḥ sama-darśinaḥ ). He never discriminates, saying, “This one is good, this one is bad.” No.
These are descriptions of the more advanced stages of Krṣṇa consciousness that devotees get by development of mature knowledge. At present many of our students are young boys. They are learning gradually, and the process is so effective, certain, and authorized that if they stick to it they will come to the right point, as you say, of loving. But that love is not material, so it should not be judged on the false, sentimental