In a small village, a massive rainstorm caused floods that submerged the entire settlement. A priest was praying in the church, watching the water rise to his knees as he knelt. A lifeguard arrived in a rowboat and said to the priest, "Father, please come up quickly! Otherwise, the flood will drown you!" The priest replied, "No! I deeply believe that God will save me. You go save others first."
Soon, the water rose above the priest's chest, forcing him to stand precariously on the altar. Then, a policeman arrived in a speedboat and urged him, "Father, come up now, or you really will drown!" The priest said, "No, I must hold my ground in the church. I believe God will certainly save me. You better go save others first."
After a while, the flood had submerged the entire church, and the priest clung tightly to the cross at the top. A helicopter slowly approached, and the pilot dropped a rope ladder, shouting, "Father, come up! This is your last chance. We don't want to see you drown!" The priest remained resolute, saying, "No, I must defend my church! God will definitely save me. Go save others. God is with me!"
The floodwaters surged, and the stubborn priest was eventually drowned. Upon reaching heaven and meeting God, the priest angrily questioned, "Lord, I dedicated my whole life to You, serving You with great reverence. Why wouldn't You save me?" God replied, "How could I not try to save you? First, I sent a rowboat; you refused, thinking it was unsafe. Second, I sent a speedboat; you still refused. Third, I sent a helicopter with the courtesy reserved for heads of state, yet you still refused to accept help. So, I assumed you were eager to return to My side to keep Me company."
In fact, many obstacles in life are created by excessive stubbornness and ignorant foolishness. When others extend a helping hand, remember that they can only help if we are willing to reach out ourselves.
