Max Lucado, On the Anvil
Once, two friends were fighting together in a war. The combat was ferocious, and many lives were being taken. When one of the two young soldiers was injured and could not get back to the trenches, the other went out to get him against his officer's orders. He returned mortally wounded, and his friend, whom he had carried back, was dead.
The officer looked at the dying soldier, shook his head, and said, "It wasn't worth it."
The young boy, overhearing the remark, smiled and said, "But it was worth it, sir, because when I got to him he said, 'Jim, I knew you'd come.' "