Rabbi Yisroel Yaakov Lubchanski once tried to influence a certain student for many months.  Although he spent much time with the boy, his efforts were of no avail.  The boy just would not yield.  As Rav Yisroel Yaakov put it, “It came to the point where I discovered an indifference within me toward that boy.  I simply rejected him.”

Then one day a thought dawned upon him: “G-d did not bless me with any children.  But suppose that boy were mine.  I would not ignore him.  Then why do I reject him now? Because he belongs to someone else?”

As Rabbi Lubchanski later related the incident, he became overwhelmed with a love for the boy at that moment.  His previous indifference turned to love.  He began to work with him anew, and eventually the boy grew up to be an outstanding leader. ~ R’ Zelig Pliskin