There was once a preacher who was an avid golfer. Every chance he could get, he could be found on the golf course swinging away. It was a complete and utter obsession.
One Sunday it was an absolutely perfect day for golfing. The sun was out, there was no wind, there were no clouds in the sky and the temperature was just right. The preacher was in a quandary as to what to do and finally the urge to play golf overcame him. He called an assistant to tell him he was too sick to take the Sunday service, he loaded up the car and drove three hours to a golf course where no one would recognize him. Without a care in the world he began to play the course.
An angel up above was watching the preacher and was quite perturbed. He went to the Lord and said, “Look at that preacher. I think he should be punished for what he is doing.” The Lord 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. A picture-perfect hole-in-one. He was amazed and excited.
The angel was a little shocked. He turned to the Lord and said, “Begging Your pardon, but I thought you were going to punish him.”
The Lord smiled. “Think about it — who can he tell?”