There was this preacher who was
an avid golfer. Every chance he could get, he could be found on the
golf course swinging away. It was an obsession. One Sunday was a
picture perfect day for golfing. The sun was out, no clouds in the sky,
and the temperature was just right. The preacher was in a quandary
as to what to do, and shortly, the urge to play golf overcame him.
He called an assistant to tell him that he was sick and could not do church,
packed the car up, and drove three hours to a golf course where no one
would recognize him. Happily, he began to play the course. An angel
up above was watching the preacher and was quite perturbed. He went to
God and said, "Look at the preacher. He should be punished for what he
is doing." God nodded in agreement. The preacher teed up on the first
hole. He swung at the ball, and it sailed effortlessly through the air
and landed right in the cup three hundred and fifty yards away (as they
say in basketball, nothing but net). A picture perfect hole-in-one.
He was amazed and excited. The angel was a little shocked. He turned
to God and said, "Begging Your pardon, but I thought you were going to
punish him." God smiled. "Think about it -- who can he tell?"