Owning a car in Singapore is an expensive proposition. Before you get to the cost buying a car along with registration and road tax, you need to get a certificate of entitlement (COE). There are a limited number of COEs in Singapore. Each is good for ten years. After that period, one must either export the vehicle the COE is linked to or purchase a new one. For those looking to acquiring a COE, every two weeks a set number come up for public auction. Limited numbers and demand combine to ensure that they are not cheap; the winning bid in the last auction for the smallest engine size exceeded $81,000.
In this context, asking to borrow someone’s car is unusual. It is not unheard of but it is not common. Recently, a request went out on a Saturday night for Sunday morning. I thought the odds were near zero. Who would be willing to do this, especially on short notice? We are friends, but are do we trust each other that much?
Within a few minutes the mobile chirped, alerting me to a SMS. “Sure, when would you like to pick up the car.”
“Are you really sure?”
“Of course! You are a good friend. We are happy to help.”
Sometimes I forget about the true definition of friendship. I experientially know who is a good friend and who is not. When asked to trust, the definition comes rushing back. Friendship is measured through trust. I as picked up the keys late that night I realized how much the simple gesture had touched my heart. I knew I was in a place of trust. The burdens of the moment seemed lighter. The reality of Hope was tangibly real. This was not something you just talked about; this was something one experienced. David’s metaphor had come to life; “God’s thunder spits fire.” (Psalm 29.7) What was distant was not real.
I find myself taking a fresh look at my friendships. Divinity’s offer is with me, yet often I do not take it up. Today, I will.
