I grew up Jewish. I have lost my faith, but that quote is still fundamental to how I see my place in the world.
>Therefore man was created single in the world to teach that for anybody who destroys a single life it is counted as if he destroyed an entire world, and for anybody who preserves a single life it is counted as if he preserved an entire world.
(Directly from the Mishna in the Talmud Yerushalmi)
| If the final hour comes while one of you has a seed in his hand, if he can plant it before it takes place, let him do so.
I take it to mean it is never too late to do something good, even (or especially) something you will never benefit from.
It only made sense as in, you never know if the world is really ending. So assume it is not and do the right thing, even if things seem dark. Everything we do matters. Always.
Yeah you get it.