The Virtuous Man

    There was a small, rural community in the hollow between several tall
mountains. At the edge of this community, in the lowest part of the town, there
lived a solitary, virtuous man named Sam, who always did what he could to help
his neighbors and even the local wildlife.

    One year, just as the spring thaw came, there also came a very heavy
thunderstorm which lasted for several days. The rain water, adding as it did to
the melting snow, was too much for the streams, creeks and reservoirs. Soon the
water was rising in town and the residents were fleeing.

    The water was over a foot deep at Sam's front porch when a neighbor came
up in his jeep and said, "The water's rising, Sam and you'd better come with me
to higher ground."

    Sam replied that he had always led a good life and that the Lord would
save him, so the neighbor should continue on and see who else he could help.
The neighbor shook his head and left.

    Later, the water was three feet deep at Sam's front porch, when a deputy
sheriff came riding up on a horse and said, "It's getting bad here, Sam. You
better come with me to someplace safer."

    Again Sam said that he'd led a good life and that the Lord would save
him. The deputy rode away.

    The water was up to the second story window when Sam looked out and saw a
rowboat approaching. A forest ranger was in the boat and offered to rescue Sam.

    Once more Sam said that the Lord would save him, and refused the ranger's
second offer of aid. The ranger went away looking for others to help.

    Sam was on the roof of his house, barely above the rising water, when a
helicopter from a radio station spotted him and tried to convince him to come
with them.

    Sam told them that he would be safe in the Lord's care and that they
should save someone else.

    The water rose higher and Sam drowned. As he entered Heaven, he cried,
"Lord, I was always a good man. I helped others and never hurt anyone. Why
didn't you save me?"

    Sam heard a warm voice all around him saying, "I sent you a jeep, a
horse, a boat and a helicopter. What more did you want?"