During the second world war, a steamer carrying Indian Sepoys was bombed by the Japanese and was sunk. Many lost their lives. Five among them managed to row their lifeboat and hoped to have a chance of surviving in spite of the surging Ocean. They were tossed about for many hours.

One of them became desperate and cried: "The sea will swallow me. I will be a meal for the sharks". In that panic, he got drowned.

Another sepoy wept for his family: "Oh, I am dying without arranging for the future of my family." He too lost faith in his survival and breathed his last.

The third sepoy thought: "I have with me the Policy and documents of Insurance. What a pity!" I should have kept them at home. What will my wife do? I am sure to die." He also died.

The other two men reinforced each other's faith in God. They said: "We shall not yield to fear. We shall prove that however desperate the situation may be, God will certainly protect man if he has faith in Him." Even as they were talking like this, a helicopter sent from a coastal ship which had received signals for help, caught sight of these two men and hauled them up. When they were safe on land, they said, "It is only five minutes between victory and defeat. Faith earned the victory; lack of it brought about defeat and death."

Source: Chinna Katha II, 149