In John 15:13, Jesus said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends.” After reading this verse, I wondered whether I had friends who would do that for me—and whether I was that kind of friend to others.

From what I’ve observed, men don’t often have close friends. If we have any at all, it’s usually just one or two. We are often the kind of creatures who don’t confide in others. We keep our thoughts to ourselves and rarely share our fears, emotions, dreams, hopes, or wishes. If we’re hurting, we hurt in silence. Yet we can also be deeply devoted and won’t hesitate to jump into the fray to help a brother out. But here’s the interesting part: we may not always do it out of expressed love, but out of instinct, loyalty, and nature.

The other day, I received a phone call from someone I hadn’t heard from in years. It was someone I used to see regularly, but when he retired, things changed. That’s the way it is with many relationships: life changes, and relationships change with it. The interesting thing is that I had kept up with what was going on in this person’s life because of social media. Although we didn’t talk, we quietly peeked into each other’s lives through that thing we call Facebook. As we talked, he shared that I had been important in his life and that he was trying to reconnect with people who mattered. That reminded me of what Jesus said about “no greater love.” Maybe it is not only about laying down your life for another person in a dramatic moment. Maybe it is also about taking time out of your life to reach out by phone and say, “Hey, you’re important.” So where does it go from here?

The next step is that we’re going to have a meal together. This time, I’ll be the one reaching out to set it up. It’s easy to think of someone, but it’s another matter to reach out and connect. Yet that is what loving others is all about. I liken it to living without regrets—in other words, never having to say, “I wish I had.” Think about it.