Satan was sitting in his favorite chair, cigar in one hand and a drink in another, when one of his minions walked in.  The minion saw how relaxed Satan was and the huge smile on his face.  “Why are you so happy today he asked?”

“It’s Christmas,” Satan answered.

Puzzled, the minion said, Christmas? “The day Jesus was born, The only son of your arch enemy?”

“That’s right.  Don’t you see all the humans and how happy they are, how they are celebrating and reveling in the moment?”

Now, even more puzzled, the minion remarked, “isn’t that the opposite of what we want?”

Of course, it is, but you don’t see what I see; for all the happiness out there, there is also sadness, those that are lonely, dealing with health and financial issues.  They look around them and see all the joy and ask why? Why can’t that be me? This is the time of year when they are at their weakest, and that is when I pounce—whispering in their ear.  Where is your God now? Doesn’t he care about you? Has he forsaken you?  Maybe it’s time you think about forsaking him. Maybe it’s time you give in to temptation and do whatever it is you have to do to find your happiness.  Who cares if it negatively impacts others? It’s you who are the most important.  Yep, this is the best time of year for me, my business is booming with converts”.

 “I see, boss, an excellent game plan indeed.”

“Want to watch me in action? I was about o go whisper in the ear of this guy who is all alone and sad, he just needs a push, and I’ve got him.”

“Let’s go!” said the minion excited to see his boss in action.

Satan and minion walked into the room of the unsuspecting man who was sitting all alone watching television.  He appeared to be crying,

“This is going to be easier than I thought; he’s sitting there crying. I’ve got him”

Satan snuck up behind the man and whispered in his ear. “All alone? Sitting here crying why? I mean you have done so much for so many, yet here you sit on Christmas eve, no one to exchange gifts with, no one to talk and laugh with, no one to hug and kiss.  That doesn’t seem fair now, does it? Look at all the happy faces around you. They don’t deserve happiness any more than you now, do they.  Where’s your God at now?  What is he doing to help you?  I’ll tell you what.  Nothing, he’s done nothing! He only wants your praise and adulation, to put him on a pedestal.  He exists for that stuff, but he doesn’t care about you, he never has.  But me I’ll always be there for you, forget him and  come on over to my side, and you’ll never know loneliness again, you’ll be happier than you ever have been,

The man swung around and looked right into Satan’s eyes. “Oh, you are so barking up the wrong tree.  Did you think I was crying because I am sad? No sir I these are tears of happiness.”

“Happiness? What do you have to be happy about.”

“What do I have to be happy about? Well, let’s see, I woke up this morning blessed to see another day on this beautiful planet.  I looked up from my bed, and there was a roof over my head; I went to the kitchen, and there was food in my refrigerator.  I think about the man I have become, and I thank my parents every day for guiding me, putting up with my nonsense, and teaching me how to live my life in a way that I can be proud of.  Most importantly, I know that all this is possible because the Lord, my heavenly father, is looking out over me, I know I can’t do this alone, and I know I don’t have to because He walks with me every second of every day.  You ask me to forsake him? After everything he has done for me? You ask me to look at what I don’t have and ignore all that He has given me> You ask me to believe he is done working on me; after looking out over me from the moment I was birthed.  You ask me to believe he would turn his back to me and forsake him   No I don’t believe I will.  I’ll give it to you this is a nice little racket you have going on here.  It Christmas some people naturally are a little depressed and you prey on those people.  But I have an unwavering faith and that faith makes me too strong to fall for your tricks; you see, the reason for the season is to celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Son of the Lord, the Son who gave his life to atone for the sins of all of my brother and sisters. I will not now nor will I ever forsake the Lord and his Son, so you can take your tricks and false promises and hit the road. You are nothing compared to the Lord.”

Satan looked back at the man and realized he could not compete with the power of the Lord, turned around and started to slink toward the door. 

“That’s it? Are we leaving? You’re giving up so easily?” the minion asked.

 “Let me tell you something” Satan said “I have been around a long time, and if there is one thing I have learned is that the Lord always has the better hand and when someone looks you right in the eye and calls your bluff…Well, you have to know when to hold them and when to fold them.” And with that, Satan left beaten and battered yet again to the higher power he has yet ever truly to defeat.