I usually begin my day early, and this one particular day I rose even earlier to pray. During my prayer time, I heard God tell me, “Study all the facts and figures regarding the neighborhood you live in.” I don’t mean that I heard an audible voice, but a still, quiet voice from within. As a real estate broker, I had recently begun to market the homes in this particular area. Later that morning, I began the research to acquire these facts. By that afternoon, I had memorized all the information. Later that evening, I received a call from a homeowner who wanted to sell his property. He said that he wanted to interview me and then two other agents afterward. He would then make his decision and list his home with the agent of his choice. I told him that would be fine.
During the interview, he began asking a series of questions having to do with various facts and figures about the neighborhood. He asked, “How many models of my home are there?”
I responded, “Forty-one.”
He then asked, “How many have sold this year?”
I replied, “Four.”
He continued, “How many last year?”
I said, “Seven.”
“How many total models are there?”
“Six.”
“How many total in the complex?”
“One hundred eighty-two.”
He asked, “How many are there of the other five?”
I said, “Thirty-five model plan 303; 30 plan 300; 27 plan 301; 26 plan 302; and 23 plan 304.”
He then asked, “How many acres is the complex?”
I said, “Thirty-three.”
“How many acres is our lake?”
“One and one-half.”
He then shook his head as if in amazement and asked, “How could you remember so many figures?”
I said, “It’s part of my job to know them.” Of course, I just learned all of this information that very afternoon.
Then he said, “You got the job!”
He didn’t bother to interview the other two agents. I listed the home, thanked him and left. As I was walking away, a neighbor stopped me and asked me if I had any homes for sale of a model like theirs. They were having dinner with some friends, and the friends liked their home. They went out for a walk to see if there were any for sale signs up, and they saw me. I told them I just listed one 30 seconds ago. They asked if they could see it. I turned around and went right back and knocked on his door. I asked him if I could show it to this couple. He said, “You certainly do work fast.” We came in, looked at the home, and they bought it right then. It was the quickest sale I ever made. My commission was $15,000.
What if I didn’t get up that morning to pray and had not heard God’s voice? Since the seller asked all those questions, do you think I would have been given the listing if I couldn’t have answered them?
God is always looking for ways to help and bless us. Since He comes by every morning, I want to be there to hear what He has to say. Job 7:17–18 states, “What is man, that you should exalt him him? … And that You should visit him every morning…” (emphasis added).
“I love those who love me, and those who seek me early will find me. Riches and honor are with me, yes, enduring riches and righteousness.”
—Proverbs 8:17–18
In the morning the word of the Lord came to me.
—Ezekiel 12:8
For further study, read: Deuteronomy 6:6-9; Job 1:5; Psalms 57:8-9, 59:16, 63:1, 78:34, 90:14, 108:2, 127:2; Proverbs 3:24, 8:17, 10:22, 27:14; Isaiah 6:8, 26:9, 42:6; Jeremiah 7:13, 25:3, 31:26, 32:33; Mark 1:35, 16:9; John 8:2; and Acts 5:21.
Bill Wiese is the New York Times best-selling author of 23 Minutes in Hell, What Happens When I Die? and Recession-Proof Living—from which this article is adapted. A successful Realtor in Southern California, he has appeared on several television and radio shows and is an accomplished speaker.
