Does My Brother Know Jesus?

 

I love my brother. There is a high chance that I will give my life for him. He’s funny, kind, and has this way of making me laugh when I least expect it. Especially when he is doing his little dance while eating Jollof Rice.

But there’s one thing that keeps me up at night sometimes; does he know Jesus? Like, really know Him. Growing up, faith was a big part of our home and has become a huge part of mine. Sunday mornings meant church, bedtime meant prayers, and we have devotions in our home, and I bet he knows that I don’t joke with my prayer time.

I was 15 when I gave my life to Christ when I realized, “Oh wow, Jesus actually loves me.” But my brother? That’s where things get confusing.

You see, my brother has Autism and is verbal, but not per se Non-verbal. He processes things differently. He doesn’t ask deep questions about God or talk about faith the way I do. And that used to scare me. Because salvation is a choice, right? What if he doesn’t understand enough to make that choice?

I couldn’t help but to think about it, especially now that the signs of Jesus Christ’s second return. My brother needed to know Jesus, so I asked a powerful admirable man of God about it. He told me that there was an exception to babies, people with disabilities and it made me relieved but not so much.

But I still want my brother to know Jesus. I want him to know the one who kept him, saved him and who is making sure everything works together for his good.

One of my favorite things about Jesus is how He met people exactly where they were. Mark 10:14 says, “Let the little children come to me… for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.” 

If Jesus welcomes everyone, I have to believe He welcomes my brother too. I used to think faith had to look a certain way, praying out loud, lifting your hands in worship, or giving a testimony. What if it’s in the way my brother sings worship songs incoherently or the way he sits next to me during church, or how he says ‘Amen Fire’ to all my mom’s prayer points.

God sees him and knows the situation. Do I still worry? Yeah, sometimes. But I remind myself that God’s love is bigger than my fears. My brother was created by the same God who holds the universe together, surely, He’s got this covered and will allow my brother to reign with him in the big Palace upstairs. 

So instead of stressing, I pray. I trust that God will show himself in Tobi’s life and Tobi will know for a fact that God is real, like my mother’s rice is the best. 

And I keep loving my brother exactly as he is. Because if there’s one thing I do know? Jesus loves him even more than I do, and he has his back.