"God helps those who help themselves." -Benjamin Franklin
There was once a devoutly religious man who lived in a small town by a large lake. One day, the dam holding the water back fractured, and the town was flooded. As the water rose, the man prayed to his God to save him. Just then, a motorboat sped past, and someone inside called to him, "Get inside! We'll take you to safely!"
"No," the man replied. "My God will save me."
The motorboat drove off. The water level rose, and the man was forced to climb onto the roof of his house. He was desperately praying to God, and a helicopter came and stopped over his house. A ladder was flung down. Someone inside called to him, "Get inside! We'll take you to safety!"
"No," the man replied. "My God will save me."
So, the helicopter flew off, and as time went by, the water level continued to rise, until the man's house was completely submerged, and the man drowned. As he stood before the pearly gates, he asked God, "I prayed and prayed for you to save me. Why didn't you help me?"
God responded, "I sent you a boat and a helicopter! What more do you want from me?"
"No," the man replied. "My God will save me."
The motorboat drove off. The water level rose, and the man was forced to climb onto the roof of his house. He was desperately praying to God, and a helicopter came and stopped over his house. A ladder was flung down. Someone inside called to him, "Get inside! We'll take you to safety!"
"No," the man replied. "My God will save me."
So, the helicopter flew off, and as time went by, the water level continued to rise, until the man's house was completely submerged, and the man drowned. As he stood before the pearly gates, he asked God, "I prayed and prayed for you to save me. Why didn't you help me?"
God responded, "I sent you a boat and a helicopter! What more do you want from me?"
Although this quote, and the above story, are specific to monotheistic religions, the message Benjamin Franklin is trying to give in his quote is this: when an opportunity arises, don't wait for a better one; it might never come.