I’m always trying to show my sons what it means to live out their faith, to bring Jesus with them everywhere they go.

This is not always easy. No matter what your age or spiritual maturity, telling people about Jesus can be scary. Opening up about your beliefs can bring insults, discomfort, and embarrassment, but it can also bring hope and healing. I work in children’s and youth ministry, and I’ve seen both sides. I’ve seen people leading people in a beautiful way to the feet of Christ, and I’ve seen people get completely shut down at the first mention of faith.

It’s that second scenario that keeps me from acting sometimes.

At work it’s easy for me to live my faith. People expect it. The grocery store, on the other hand, is a whole different story. Sharing my faith with people I hardly know takes a huge amount of courage, but it’s worth it, not only because it’ll make me stronger and possibly lead someone else to true freedom, but because my kids are watching.

The truth is, it doesn’t have to be as hard as we make it sometimes. Sharing your faith isn’t always knocking on doors and handing out Bibles, though some people are called to do that. Sometimes sharing your faith is as simple as making a difference in the life of those around you through simple acts of kindness. That’s why each new school year I encourage my kids to do three simple things to show other kids and their teachers who Jesus is:

3 Simple Ways For Kids To Share Their Faith at School

1. Pray each day before you walk out the door. Pray for teachers, friends, the principal, even for the kid who gave you a hard time. This seems too easy, but it’s often the first thing that gets dropped when you’re in a rush.
2. Actively look for ways to help others. Is there a new student in your class that you can welcome and invite them to sit with you at lunch? Did someone drop their books or get hurt on the playground? These are situations that give us a great opportunity to step in and help.
3. Respect your teachers. There have been so many times that my sons come home and talk about how mad their teachers got because no one was listening to them. It’s amazing how far a little respect will take you in situations like this. Listen to your teacher, answer their questions and remember to raise your hand. Even though you’re young, you can still make a positive difference for those who are in authority and older than you. Just look at Timothy (1st Tim.4:12)!

These three things are a great starting point for sharing Jesus and living your faith. I love listening to my kids come home at the end of the day when they’ve had the opportunity to make a difference for someone. Their faces light up each time, and they return to school the following day with purpose.

There are many other ways as well. These work for us. What works for you?