母親和桑杰太太是要好的鄰居，也是友好的競爭對手。我們兩家的後院剛好相對，每週一她倆都會比賽，看誰先把洗好的衣服晾在戶外的晾衣繩上。有時母親會說：「她又贏了！」但下週一可能就是母親獲勝！兩人都很享受每週一次的友誼賽。在共享後院小巷的十多年裡，她們也分享了彼此的生活智慧、經歷和期望。

聖經也描述了這種友誼的美好。所羅門王觀察到：「朋友乃時常親愛」（箴言17章17節），並指出：「朋友誠實的勸教也是如此甘美。」（27章9節）

我們最好的朋友當然是耶穌。耶穌勸勉門徒要成為彼此相愛的朋友，並教導他們說：「人為朋友捨命，人的愛心沒有比這個大的」（約翰福音15章13節）。說了這話的隔天，耶穌就在十架上為人捨命。祂也告訴門徒：「我乃稱你們為朋友，因我從我父所聽見的，已經都告訴你們了」（15節）。接著祂說：「我這樣吩咐你們，是要叫你們彼此相愛。」（17節）

正如哲學家沃特斯托夫（Nicholas Wolterstorff）說的：「耶穌的這些話提升了祂的聽眾，將他們從卑微的人提升為自己的同伴和知己。」在基督裡，我們學習成為別人的朋友。耶穌是何等良友，教導我們彼此相愛！

As favorite backyard neighbors, my mother and Mrs. Sanchez grew also into friendly rivals. The two competed every Monday to be the first to hang their freshly washed laundry on their outdoor clotheslines. “She beat me again!” my mother would say. But the next week, Mama might be first—both enjoying their friendly weekly contest. Over ten years of sharing a backyard alley, the two also shared each other’s wisdom, stories, and hope.

The Bible speaks with great warmth about the virtue of such a friendship. “A friend loves at all times,” King Solomon observed (Proverbs 17:17). He also noted, “The pleasantness of a friend springs from their heartfelt advice” (27:9).

Our great Friend is surely Jesus. Urging loving friendship from His disciples, He taught them, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). The very next day, He would do just that on the cross. He also told them, “I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (v. 15). Then He said, “This is my command: Love each other” (v. 17).

With such words, Jesus “is elevating His listeners,” as philosopher Nicholas Wolterstorff said, from lowly humans to companions and confidants. In Christ, we learn to befriend others. What a Friend to teach us such love!