Drowning man

From Elfi

Once upon a time there was a man who was very religious, who went to church every Sunday, prayed every day, and did his best to follow the teachings of his God. Now it happened that one day there were predictions of much flooding for his town, and it started to rain. Already people were leaving. And when there was water running down the street, a family in a Jeep came by and called out to this man, “Get in, we’ll take you to safety.” And the man replied, “I am alright as I am, my faith in God with save me.” And so the Jeep moved on. And the water rose and flooded the ground level of his house. He watched out a window and a boat came by, and the people hailed him saying, “Won’t you come with us? We’re going to find some higher ground.” And the man replied, “I’ll be okay, my faith in God will save me.” And the boat paddled on. Now the flood had risen so high that the man was forced to take shelter on his roof, and still the rain fell. A helicopter came by, and those in the helicopter called down to him saying, “Come with us, for if you don’t, you will surely drown.” And the man smiled calmly and replied, “I know that God will save me. Go! I will be alright.” And the man drowned. When he stood before God in the afterlife, he asked what he had done wrong that God had let him drown, for he had been faithful all his days, had worshiped, had prayed, and yet still died in that storm. And God looked at him and spoke gently, “I sent you the Jeep and the boat and the helicopter. You refused to get on.”