Sam Klein’s post reminded me of a well-known story. I goes something like this:
A hurricane was approaching and the police drove through a particularly vulnerable neighborhood advising the residents to evacuate. One man refused, saying that he had complete faith that G-d would protect him. The storm came and the neighborhood was indeed flooded. The man had retreated to an upstairs room when the Police came by in a boat and offered to rescue him. The man again refused saying that G-d would surely protect him. The flood waters continued to rise, driving the man to the roof of his house. A Coast Guard helicopter appeared, dropped a rope ladder and urged the man to climb the ladder into the helicopter and be saved. Once again, the man refused, again affirming his complete faith in G-d and His salvation. Finally, the wind and flood waters overcame the man and he was swept away and drowned. When the man’s neshama reaches Olam HaBah, he has taynehs! “Eibisher, I had complete Emunah in You! Why didn’t You save me?” The Rebono shel Olam replied, “What do you mean? I sent a cop, a boat and a helicopter!”
