Each day during the  month of March we will be sharing a devotional from a booklet written by Steve Love. Steve is a member of Canton First and a Traumatic Brain Injury survivor. If you would like a complete PDF of this devotional, it can be downloaded here.

Day 2

1 Samuel 16:7 (New International Version)

But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

     Samuel went to the town of Bethlehem for the purpose of anointing the next king of Israel. Jesse had 8 sons; one of them was to be appointed king by God. The seven oldest sons were there to meet the prophet.  When Samuel saw the first-born son Eliab, he was ready to anoint him king, “Surely the Lord’s anointed stands here before the Lord.”  God knew what the prophet was thinking and told him, “The LORD does not look at the things man looks at.  Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

    God rejected the seven oldest sons.  The prophet asked Jesse “Are these all the sons you have?”  Jesse’s youngest son was not at home, but out taking care of the family flocks.  Jesse did not think that David was important or anyone who would be of any interest to God.  Nevertheless, David was the one who was anointed to be the next king.  God does not see us as men see us.  God knows us for who we are.  He does not judge us by the way we look, nor does he judge us by our brain injuries.  God knows me.  He can help me and my family deal with problems arising because of my brain injury.

   Many people do see and judge us by our brain injury.  Some can not deal with our injury.  They just want us to be the way we were.  Statistics tell us that 90% of our friends will drop out of our lives after a brain injury.  Many do not understand the facts about brain injuries nor are they willing to take the time to get to know us all over again. But it is worth the time it takes.  It is worth the time to get to know the remarkable group of people who are brain injury survivors.   

     Our minds are not damaged just our brains where our minds live.  It is through our mind/heart that God can talk to us and to minister to us.  He will never leave us, nor will He be part of the 90% that will drop out of our lives.  He will be with us and always help us meet the demands that our injuries have placed upon us.   

   Those we meet might judge us unfairly but not God.  He knows us for who we are. He looks at our heart/mind and knows the whole truth about who we are.  We might be able to put a mask on to hide who we are from the world or even from our family and friends.  But we cannot hide the truth from God.  The world sees us only in our physical form, God looks beyond the physical to the very depth of our heart/mind/soul. 

Pray and thank God for being a personal God, who cares for us and takes care of us.

Pray and thank God for all the people who are still a part of our lives.

Pray and ask God to help us to be a person who can show people how to live a meaningful life.