The life of Levi is a tale of redemption. Of something battered and broken being turned into something beautiful that brought blessing to others.

When Doreen, The Hearing Dog trainer, found him at a dog pound he was already on the schedule to be euthanized because he was considered unadoptable.

But her new client, Sue Thomas, had insisted that the hearing dog must be a golden retriever and this was the only one available.

Doreen spent days lying on the floor quietly winning the trust of a dog who could barely pick his head up. When he finally made eye contact, she felt hope, but knew it was going to take time for healing. He had suffered terribly at the hands of abusers.

After redemption comes restoration and then being released to be used.

He came to Sue with the name, Levi. In Hebrew, it means “attached to” and she felt they were pretty attached. He was her ears. He broke the sound barrier for her in life.

God has given us each something to do that is important for the proper functioning of the entire body. Not one part of the body can say to the other, ‘I have no need of you’. Or what if the ears were to say, ‘because I’m not an eye, I’m not important’ and then quit functioning? Just like Sue needed Levi to alert her to sounds, Levi also needed Sue. She gave him an important purpose for living.

Even when he was in the pound, broken and useless, God had His hand on him and saved him from certain destruction because He had a plan and purpose for that little furry creature.

We are just like Levi. We might not seem to have a big plan or important purpose or that anyone even notices. But if we are faithfully doing what God has put before us even in the smallest of things, the whole body will benefit.

Today because of the TV show, Levi’s name is known around the world. I’ve even heard of other dogs named Levi because of the one in the TV series!

Now, I cannot promise you that you will be known around the world for faithfully doing what you’re called to do, but I can assure you that the Lord Himself will notice and He will smile on you.

And your heart will smile back.

After all, the real Levi never knew he was famous or that there would be a TV show about him! He was just faithfully doing what he was called to do, being the ears for Sue Thomas. And the only approval he needed was her smile as he waited expectantly for her words, “Good job, little one.”