The Trials of Joe is a retelling of The Book of Job, set around Christmas time. Joe is a righteous and prosperous businessman who has managed to balance the demands of his profession with devotion to the Lord. Such is his piety that he has come to the attention of Satan as a man whose faith he would like to destroy. Satan wagers the Archangel Michael that he can do so by casting down misfortune upon Joe. Joe then loses his job, his home, then his family. Throughout his travails he never loses his faith in God; he believes that God has sent him to a homeless shelter to help the needy. At the shelter Joe becomes ill, and the shelter manager suspects that he has tuberculosis. He sends Joe to the emergency room, but Joe is rejected as he has no insurance, even though it is Christmas Eve. Because he has not been medically cleared, the shelter manager sends him away. Joe is alone on the streets and for the first time he is despondent, and Joe prays, in the name of Jesus, that he be sent a sign. On Christmas morning Joe wakes up and is joined by Charlie, a homeless young man who became addicted to drugs while in medical school. Joe introduces him to the love of Christ and Charlie is saved while Joe’s faith in God is affirmed. Satan realizes that he has lost the bet, and Michael points out that everything that happened to Joe was God’s will and part of His plan: God put Joe in that alley to save Charlie, who is destined to return to medical school and ultimately find a cure for drug resistant tuberculosis. Satan is sent packing, and Joe is reunited with his family.