The Trick that Wasn’t

The evening Bill learned his wife Jana had cancer, he dropped to his knees and begged God, knowing it was wrong. God heard his cries, and Jana was cured.

Satan complained, “That is not how it works.”

“I saw into his heart, his motives were pure,” God countered. “You can see only his mind.”

“Well, he broke the rules,” Satan continued. “Now, he’s mine.”

“Don’t you touch him,” God commanded.

In a huff, Satan answered, “Fine.”

A month later, as Bill lay sleeping in bed next to Jana, Satan slipped into their room and whispered in Bill’s ear. That morning Bill did not awaken, having died of a heart attack.

Bill didn’t mind because he went to Heaven believing that God had answered his prayer.

God and Satan attended Bill’s funeral, where God whispered in Satan’s ear, “You lose again.”