Gordon is a real estate agent, a nice guy with an honest handshake, a professional whose kindness brings business his way. He’s the kind of fellow you would feel comfortable loaning money to.

Then came Maggie, eager to buy a house.

“She took me to new boundaries of patience,” Gordon says. “Being severely disabled, Maggie evoked my compassion immediately. She was born without the use of her extremities—except for her right arm, which is half the size it should be, has only three fingers on it, and is partially paralyzed. I knew she would need a little extra help, and I was ok with that.”

Gordon took Maggie to look at houses. House, to house, to house, to supermarkets, to gas stations, plus other stops that were necessary for Maggie. After two weeks of 12–16-hour days as cab driver, nurse, maid, travel agent, and secretary, Good Christian Gordon was fuming.

“When I realized that my compassion was being played upon and being taken advantage of, anger began to develop. Maggie never even said thank you! She just expected.”

The climax came on Gordon’s birthday.

“It was 11:00 p.m.,” he writes. “After a 16-hour day, knowing that my family was ready to open the Sabbath and celebrate my birthday, Maggie’s demands still kept coming. Under my breath I grunted, ‘Shut up, Woman.’ She didn't hear me, but I really didn't care.”

On the way home Gordon and God had a very direct conversation about the responsibilities of realtors, mortgage brokers, and Christians. The words he heard that evening and throughout Sabbath, were, “It’s not about you!”

“I realized that I was responding to my client through my worldly titles and certifications, but not through my heavenly title, ‘child of God.’"

So Gordon chose to care for Maggie.

“I met with her Sunday and spent 13 hours going through receipts, doing soiled laundry, and packing clothes. God helped me do it with a smile. We had dinner together and laughed. And when it was time to go, she couldn't stop thanking me. No big sale, just a giant 'Yea God!'”

Gordon is content with the story ending right here. Kindness, he feels, is its own reward. We are, first and always, “God’s Children, Caring for God’s Children.”

But God is seldom content with just, “thank you.” Usually He affirms our choices and sends more work!

A few days later, the owner of a business Gordon and Maggie visited asked him to find them a new house, and a new office building. “We watched the compassion you gave Maggie,” they said, “and we would like to work with you.”

And, one of Gordon’s co-workers asked him to pray for her and her family, “because I saw how you cared for Maggie,” she said.

Gordon received a phone call saying that Maggie had hired a nurse to care for her the next time she comes into town. “It will make everything easier for you.”

We are God’s children. Caring for God’s children. And, being cared for by God!

Dick Duerksen is the director of mission development for Florida Hospital in Orlando.