Franklin suggests that people who wish to receive love should also offer it and behave in ways that make affection more likely. The first part stresses reciprocity: warmth, care and regard for others can help create the conditions in which similar feelings are returned. The second part adds that conduct and character also matter.

To be “lovable” here does not mean changing oneself simply to gain approval. It points instead to qualities that support healthy relationships, such as kindness, consideration, reliability and generosity. Franklin’s saying does not imply that affection can be guaranteed or earned mechanically, since other people remain free in their feelings and choices. Its broader lesson is that close relationships are more likely to flourish when people both give affection and cultivate the qualities that make mutual trust and attachment easier to sustain.